NAJIB IS NO USE – KEDAH UMNO SHAKES: IN UNPRECEDENTED SHOW OF DISRESPECT, YOUTH CALLS FOR MB AHMAD BASHAH’S RESIGNATION AS KFA PRESIDENT

KUALA LUMPUR – Kedah Umno Youth today called on Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah to consider giving up his post as Kedah Football Association (KFA) president, immediately.

Its chief, Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin said the call was made so that football in the state could go on without being politicised by certain parties.

“Some quarters have made football a political matter and Umno is always made the black sheep in the issue. So, to protect the good name of our party, we are calling on Ahmad Bashah to let go of the KFA president post.

“We are also calling on all Umno leaders holding posts in KFA to vacate their posts in the association to avoid politics from being linked to football,” he told reporters at a special press conference which was also attended by 15 state Umno Youth leaders, here, today.

He said the incident of booing Ahmad Bashah by a group of Kedah fans at the Malaysia Cup final on Saturday was unacceptable and rude.

“We cannot bear to see him (Ahmad Bashah), who is Kedah Menteri Besar, abused despite his enormous service and contributions to football during his administration in the past two years,” he said.

Shaiful Hazizy said the call had never been made to Ahmad Bashah before but after witnessing the incident at Shah Alam Stadium, the time had come for him to relinquish the president post.

“All the good things we have done have been wrongly interpreted and this is the best way out. After this, whoever holds KFA posts will not be from Umno as we do not want football to be made a platform for politics,” he said.

Meanwhile, he urged the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to investigate an incident where Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) supporters unfurled a banner with the word ‘Haters’ when the Kedah state anthem was played before the match began.

“As far as I know, banners with elements of provocation should not be brought in. I am calling on the parties responsible to come forward to explain and apologise to Kedahans,” he said.

— Bernama