KUALA LUMPUR: Fifa president Gianni Infantino said Malaysia's F:30 Roadmap has caught his eye as the FA of Malaysia (FAM) launched the second phase of its ambitious project today.
The goal of the second phase of the F:30, which is from 2023 to 2026, is to make Harimau Malaya among the top five in Asia in three years' time. The first phase was launched in 2018.
It will focus on three main areas: growing the game, fortifying the organisation and expanding the brand.
Infantino said in a pre-recorded video at today's F:30 second phase
launch: "Instead of taking an easy route, FAM is taking proper measures, and the Fifa Forward programme plays a major part in Malaysian football.
"Undoubtedly, it has been a success with seeing Malaysia reach the Asian Cup for the first time in 42 years and risen steadily through the Fifa world rankings."
Asian Football Confederation general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John and Asean Football Federation (AFF) president Major General Khiev Sameth also attended today's event at a hotel in Subang Jaya.
Windsor said: "It's easy to have a vision because it's a dream but the hardwork is the strategic plan, telling people what you can achieve and being evaluated for it, it's a bold plan.
"Once you have people who understand the game to see through the F:30, then it could achieve things. We need to do that with the stakeholders and we would like to see such initiatives being taken by our member associations."
Khiev said he hopes the other members of the AFF take the same initiatives.
FAM president Hamidin Amin said: "In the last four years, we did something. I wouldn't say it's great but there is overall success."
Hamidin said under the F:30 programme, FAM set goals and KPIs, which has led to the national senior team qualifying for the Asian Cup, and the national youth team qualifying for the Under-23 Asian Cup, both in Doha, Qatar next year.
Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria, who congratulated FAM on reaching a milestone, said what he found interesting is that FAM was the only body bold enough to have taken this move.
