SIARAN MEDIA: TUN DR MAHATHIR TERIMA KUNJUNGAN HORMAT DARIPADA DELEGASI PEMIMPIN BOLA SEPAK DIKETUAI PRESIDEN FIFA

2019-04-05

Perdana Menteri, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, hari ini menerima kunjungan hormat daripada delegasi pemimpin bola sepak yang diketuai oleh Presiden FIFA, Gianni Infantino.

Infantino diiringi Presiden Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM), Dato’ Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin, Presiden Persatuan Bolasepak Jepun (JFA), Kohzo Tashima dan Setiausaha Agung Konfederasi Bolasepak Asia (AFC), Datuk Windsor John, di Pejabat Perdana Menteri, Putrajaya.

Ia merupakan pertemuan rasmi pertama antara Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan Presiden FIFA sejak tahun 1960-an, apabila Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj beberapa kali menerima kunjungan Stanley Rous.

Turut hadir adalah Menteri Belia dan Sukan, YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Kunjungan hormat itu disusuli majlis menandatangani Memorandum Persefahaman (MoU) di antara FAM dan JFA bertujuan mewujudkan rangka kerja bagi mengukuhkan kerjasama teknikal dan belia serta menggalakkan pertukaran pengetahuan dalam pendidikan kejurulatihan dan pentadbiran.

MoU itu ditandatangani oleh Dato’ Haji Hamidin dan rakan sejawatannya dari JFA, Tashima, sehari menjelang Kongres AFC ke-69 di Kuala Lumpur.

Ia disaksikan oleh Syed Saddiq, Infantino dan Windsor.

MoU itu membuka ruang pembangunan demi kepentingan bersama, termasuk kem latihan skuad kebangsaan, pendidikan kejurulatihan, pembangunan pengadil, pembangunan teknikal dan belia, bola sepak wanita dan futsal serta pertukaran pentadbiran berkaitan pengkomersialan dan penjanaan pendapatan.

Presiden FAM, Dato’ Haji Hamidin, berkata:

“Kami berbesar hati menjalin kerjasama secara rasmi dengan JFA untuk kali pertama sepanjang persahabatan kami. Kami optimis MoU ini bukan hanya memperkukuhkan ikatan yang sedia wujud di antara kedua-dua negara, malah menjadi titik mula langkah penting dalam usaha berterusan kami memartabatkan bola sepak negara.

“Bagi pihak FAM, saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Tun Dr Mahathir kerana memberikan kami peluang berkongsi pandangan dengan beliau. Kami yakin sebagai pemimpin yang memulakan Dasar Pandang Ke Timur, Tun Dr Mahathir menyokong projek ini.

“Dengan kejayaan layak ke Piala Dunia FIFA secara berturut-turut sejak 1998 dan muncul juara Piala Dunia Wanita FIFA, Jepun pasti menawarkan peluang yang tidak terbatas untuk kita belajar.”

Presiden JFA, Kohzo Tashima, berkata:

“JFA sentiasa percaya dalam mengukuhkan kerjasama dengan rakan persatuan negara Asia. MoU ini membuka lagi peluang dalam menyediakan platform pembangunan yang memperkasakan dan mengukuhkan lagi jalinan persahabatan yang sememangnya sudah wujud di antara FAM dan JFA.

“Menandatangani MoU ini selepas kunjungan hormat kepada Yang Amat Berhormat Tun Dr Mahathir adalah satu tanda sokongan hebat daripada Kerajaan Malaysia, sekali gus membuktikan kesungguhan Kerajaan Malaysia menjadikan bola sepak sebagai agenda negara.

“Sebagai langkah permulaan, kami ingin menjemput Perdana Menteri, Menteri Belia dan Sukan serta FAM untuk sesi lawatan sambal belajar ke Jepun.”

Turut hadir adalah delegasi FIFA, JFA dan ahli jawatankuasa exco FAM serta Duta Besar Jepun ke Malaysia, Dr Makio Miyagawa.

Mewakili perspektif FIFA, Infantino berkata:

“FIFA  sentiasa menyokong ahli gabungan yang menunjukkan komitmen membangunkan bola sepak di semua peringkat. Di pihak kami, FIFA memperuntukkan US$ 2 juta untuk membantu FAM dalam pembinaan pusat latihan moden dan canggih di Putrajaya.

“FIFA  berpendapat sokongan dan bantuan kerajaan amat penting justeru kami amat berbesar hati diberi peluang bertemu Tun Dr Mahathir dalam kunjungan hormat ini. Kami percaya kerajaan Malaysia boleh menyumbang kepada FAM menerusi kerjasama yang baik dari segi infrastruktur, kewangan dan penajaan.

“Kami gembira kerana berpeluang menyaksikan majlis menandatangani  MoU di antara dua ahli gabungan kami yang dipimpin oleh presiden yang bekerja sepenuh masa, lantas membolehkan mereka lebih fokus menguruskan persatuan masing-masing sejajar dengan amalan terbaik urus tadbir FIFA.”

Menteri Belia dan Sukan, YB Syed Saddiq, berkata:

“Syabas FAM dan JFA memeterai perjanjian secara rasmi hari ini. Detik bersejarah ini akan memperkasakan kerjasama di antara dua negara dalam berkongsi sumber dan ilmu dalam bola sepak.

“Malaysia akan menerima manfaat daripada sebuah negara yang berkedudukan ke-26 dalam ranking FIFA. Ini akan mencetus era baharu dalam sejarah bola sepak kita.

“Jepun membawa transformasi dalam lanskap bola sepak mereka ketika membuat persiapan menjadi hos Piala Dunia FIFA 2002. Ini adalah sesuatu yang kita dambakan.

“Ini akan mengalakkan pertumbuhan untuk bola sepak Malaysia khususnya dalam kerjasama menyegarkan proses pembangunan bola sepak wanita, pembangunan remaja, pendidikan kejurulatihan dan bidang lain termasuk pengkomersialan.

“Cita-cita kami adalah beraksi menentang Jepun dalam Piala Dunia FIFA satu hari nanti.”

Bagi pihak AFC, Datuk Windsor John berkata:

“Tahniah kami ucapkan kepada FAM dan JFA. Kami harap perjanjian ini akan membuka lembaran baharu buat Malaysia. Dengan FAM kali pertama diterajui presiden bekerja sepenuh masa, ini adalah langkah penting ke arah menuju landasan yang betul.

“Sebagai sebuah organisasi kami banyak terhutang budi kepada Malaysia.  Ibu pejabat AFC yang berpangkalan di sini dilancarkan pada tahun 2000, turut dihadiri oleh Yang Amat Berhormat, Tun Tun Dr Mahathir ketika beliau menjawat jawatan Perdana Menteri kali pertama dahulu. Besarlah harapan kami jika Kerajaan Malaysia bekerjasama lebih rapat dengan FAM dalam membangunkan  bola sepak di segenap peringkat.”

 

-----

 

PRESS RELEASE: TUN DR MAHATHIR RECEIVES COURTESY VISIT BY DELEGATION LED BY FIFA PRESIDENT

 

2019-04-05

Prime Minister, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, today received a courtesy visit by a delegation of football leaders headed by FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.

Infantino was accompanied FA of Malaysia (FAM) President, Dato’ Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin, Japan FA (JFA) President, Kohzo Tashima and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General Secretary, Datuk Windsor John, in the Prime Minister’s Chambers, Putrajaya.

It was the first formal meeting between the Prime Minister of Malaysia and a FIFA president since the 1960s, when Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj received Stanley Rous on many occasions.

Also present was Youth and Sports Minister, YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Later FAM and JFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework to strengthen technical and youth collaboration and encourage knowledge exchange in coaching and administration.

The MoU signing ceremony, which took place ahead of the 29th AFC Congress in Kuala Lumpur, was signed by Dato’ Haji Hamidin and his JFA counterpart, Tashima.

It took place in the esteemed presence of Syed Saddiq, Mr Infantino and Dato’ Windsor.

The MoU will pave the way for the development on matters of common interest, which include national team’s training camps, coaching education, referee’s development, technical and youth development, women’s football and futsal as well as administrative exchanges on commercialisation and revenue enhancement.

FAM President, Dato’ Haji Hamidin, said:

“We are proud to be formalising the collaboration with JFA for the first time in our friendship. I am optimistic this MoU will not only enhance the strong bonds that exist between the two nations, but also represent an important step forward in our continuous effort to raise our standard.

“On behalf of FAM, I wish to express our gratitude to the Honourable Tun Dr Mahathir for granting us the opportunity to share our thoughts with him. We are certain as the leader who institute the Government’s Look East Policy, Tun Dr Mahathir endorses this project.

“Having successfully advanced to the FIFA World Cup without fail since 1998 and being a FIFA World Champion in women’s football, Japan offers us boundless opportunities to learn.”

JFA President, Kohzo Tashima, said:

“JFA is a firm believer in strengthening our partnership with fellow Asian member associations. This MoU opens a new range of opportunities that provide a development platform to empower our friends and reinforce the excellent friendship which exists between FAM and JFA.

“Signing the MoU here in after the courtesy visit to the Honourable Tun Dr Mahathir is indeed the greatest endorsement of this project, a sign that the Malaysian Government wishes to make football a national agenda.

“For a start, we wish to invite the Prime Minister, the Sports Minister and FAM for a study tour of Japan.”

Also present were a delegation from FIFA and JFA, as well as FAM exco members and Japan Ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Makio Miyagawa.

From the FIFA perspective, Infantino said:

“FIFA remains supportive of all our Member Associations who demonstrate commitment to developing the game at all levels. On our part, FIFA has committed US$2 million to assist FAM in developing the modern and state-of-the-art training centre.

“FIFA also feels Government assistance is crucial and we are deeply honoured to be given the chance to pay the Honourable Tun Dr Mahathir a courtesy visit. We believe the Malaysian government can contribute through genuine partnership with FAM in terms of infrastructure, finance and sponsorship.

“We are happy to be here to witness the MoU signing between two federations helmed by full-time working presidents who have the time to focus on running their associations in line with FIFA’s best practices in governance.”

Youth and Sports Minister, YB Syed Saddiq said:

“Congratulations to FAM and JFA for formalising ties today. This historic MoU signing will further enhance the cooperation between both countries to share footballing resources.

“Malaysia will surely benefit from a country that ranks 26 in the FIFA ranking. This will usher a new era in our footballing history.

“Japan transformed their football landscape in preparation for World Cup 2002. Something that we wish to emulate.

“This would be a boost for Malaysian football in particular with partnership to vitalise women’s football, youth development, coaching education and various other areas including commercialisation.

“We hope to be able to take on Japan in the FIFA World Cup one day.”

On behalf of AFC, Dato’ Windsor said:

“Congratulations to both FAM and JFA. We hope this represents a new beginning for Malaysian football. With FAM being headed for the first time by a full-time working president, this will be a step towards the right direction.

“As an organisation, we owe Malaysia a lot. Our present home, the AFC House was launched in Kuala Lumpur in 2000 in the presence of the Honourable Tun Dr Mahathir when he was also the Prime Minister. We hope that the Malaysian Government will work hand in hand with FAM in developing the game at every level."