SEPANG: The overall expenditure incurred by the Harimau Malaya squad to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup campaign in Qatar was only RM7 million said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Hannah said the amount was small compared with what was spent by other countries in Group E, like Bahrain, South Korea and Jordan, to compete in the most prestigious football tournament in Asia.
She said compared to Malaysia, teams in Group E, namely South Korea spent RM94 million, Jordan (RM23.5 million) and Bahrain (RM28.2 million) to compete in the Asian Cup.
Therefore, the allocation of RM5 million to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today was much needed by the association to develop football in the country, especially the Harimau Malaya squad.
"The RM5 million is only a part of the funds needed by the FAM, many may feel it was a 'lottery' for the FAM, but in reality the FAM need more than the amount. We want Harimau Malaya to have an opportunity to win the Asian Cup, we must ensure they have the resources, training and exposure like other teams.
"I hope everyone understands, though the amount is not big, it is very important for Harimau Malaya," said Hannah who was at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to receive the Harimau Malaya squad that returned from Qatar after their Asian Cup campaign.
Harimau Malaya ended their 2023 Asian Cup campaign with a sensational 3-3 draw against South Korea in their final Group E match at the Al Janoub Stadium in Doha, yesterday.
Despite the draw against South Korea, Malaysia did not qualify for the round of 16, after suffering defeats to Jordan (0-4) and Bahrain (0-1).
Earlier, the Prime Minister had announced that the government had agreed to allocate RM5 million to the FAM to uplift the quality of the National squad.
According Anwar, the allocation was approved after taking into account the high level of commitment and dedication shown by Harimau Malaya throughout the Asian Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman thanked the government and KBS for the approving the allocation of RM5 million. --BERNAMA