AFTER getting brickbats for giving a bizarre statement to justify Malaysian football team’s losses to Bahrain in the AFC Asian Cup final round, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu apologised.
(The cheers and support for the team are important and very much appreciated. I’m dazed after getting all the brickbats. My message was misconstrued. I apologise for my errors)
Yesterday, Harian Metro reported Ahmad Faizal as saying that Malaysian goalkeeper Farizal Marlias conceded a penalty shot to Bahrain’s striker Abdullah Yusuf Helal after getting distracted by a sudden cheer by the crowd!
“There were external factors to Farizal’s miss. There were 63,000 spectators there and we must consider the fact that he got distracted by a sudden cheer by the crowd.
“That sort of cheer can make players lose focus, hence we failed to deliver.
“So, we can’t blame players alone as we spectators also cause them to lose focus,” the Tambun MP was reported as saying.
His ludicrous statement set a storm on social media, leading many netizens to ridicule the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president and called for his resignation.
Ignore “nonsensical” arguments
On related matter, UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi urged Harimau Malaya supporter to ignore Ahmad Faizal and continue to back the local football team.
“We’re lucky that he is not the team’s coach or player. If not, Ahmad Faizal will even blame the loss the sound of someone cracking a pumpkin seed.
“I urge Harimau Malaya supporters to just ditch that argument and keep up the spirit. May our team triumph in the future,” he remarked. – June 14, 2022
