KUALA LUMPUR: Coach Kim Pan Gon has significantly elevated the Harimau Malaya team's profile, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
She highlighted his influential role in Malaysian football when reflecting on her 19-month acquaintance with the coach.
"Coach Kim Pan Gon helped to raise the profile of our Harimau Malaya team.
"In the 19 months I have known him, he has been a pulling force for Malaysian football, each time he speaks, he gets the attention of the hearers.
"Even non-football fans talk about Harimau Malaya," she said on Facebook.
She emphasised on Pan Gon's ability to captivate fans and inspire young Malaysians by showcasing the potential of the country's football team.
She expressed her sadness over the end of his tenure as national coach, but remained optimistic that her friendship with Pan Gon will endure.
"He has helped to capture the imagination of our fans and the possibilities that Malaysian football can achieve to inspire the young.
"I will miss seeing him on the pitch each time Harimau Malaya plays but I know this will not be goodbye," said Yeoh.
Pan Gon had announced his resignation from his position as Harimau Malaya coach today due to personal commitments despite The FA of Malaysia's effort to convince him to stay.
FAM confirmed that Pan Gon's assistant, Pau Marti Vicente, will now oversee the national team as acting head coach.
