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Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, President of FAM, revealed that a comprehensive working paper on the introduction of semi-professional referee system is being prepared, and the programme will be launched approximately next year.
“There is also a plan to introduce semi-professional referees - allowing refereeing to be a career and a source of livelihood for Malaysian referees,” Tengku Abdullah said during the opening of the FAM Top Referees Course at the Zenith Hotel in Kuantan, Pahang yesterday.
“However, there needs to be an increase of effort and standards in the referees - and we need to increase the depth in the pool of referees - and I hope that this would lead to more opportunities for local referees at a higher level - however this needs to be deserved first,” he added.
He was however quick to point out the importance of an exemplary work rate in order to succeed in the field of refereeing.
“Asian referees are improving and I hope to see them in 2018 World Cup in Moscow, hard work is needed and this is not dependent on luck. Refereeing the World Cup is not a gift and it has to be deserved,” he said.
This new system would in turn help turn refereeing into a legitimate professional career for fledgling referees.
“A career in refereeing is important - creating a value so that young referees have a larger game to play in life,” he enthused.