MP calls for linked community clubs to grow Malaysian football

KUALA LUMPUR: Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has urged the youth and sports ministry to consider Japan’s community sports club model to develop Malaysian football talent. Speaking during debate on the Sports Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat, he said Malaysia needed a system that connects its existing grassroots programmes.

The opposition MP said academies, clubs, district associations and interschool competitions were already part of community-level football in Malaysia. What was missing, he argued, was a structure linking them together, backed by legislation to mandate and govern it.

A model beyond football

Wan Ahmad Fayhsal pointed to Japan’s community sports clubs, which he said resulted from collaboration among the government, national sports department, sports associations, corporations and communities. He described clubs involving all sports and people of all ages, rather than programmes limited to high-performance athletes.

He said Japan’s steadfastness had resulted in football stars such as Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo.

The debate also raised the gap between grassroots sports development in rural and urban areas. The source report attributed that concern to a Wawasan MP, who said the amendment bill did not address it.

Bill sets out enforcement powers

Youth and sports minister Dr Taufiq Johari tabled the Sports Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 earlier today. The proposed changes allow sports bodies used for purposes harmful to national security, public order or morality to be declared unlawful and struck off immediately.

The bill would also establish an enforcement and investigation regime. Ministry-appointed enforcement officers and police would have the power to record statements and seize documents from sports bodies.

Under the proposed Section 41A, the minister could cancel a sports body’s registration with immediate effect through a gazetted order after consulting the sports commissioner.