Malaysian authorities have confirmed that Malaysia will not withdraw from the ongoing ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2016 football tournament, which is currently being hosted in Myanmar.
“The Cabinet decided today that we should proceed with our match tomorrow,” said Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, as quoted by the Malay Mail Online.
There have been calls for Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, to withdraw from the tournament as a stand against the alleged government-led persecutions of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State.
Earlier today, protestors in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand gathered outside the Myanmar embassies in their countries and called for an end to the violence in Rakhine.
However, both the AFF and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have voiced their opposition to such an act, and warned Malaysia of the possible consequences that they might face.
“I do not agree with the idea of pulling out. The government should think of other ways to protest and not make football the scapegoat,” said FAM general-secretary and the Malaysian Tigers’ team manager, Datuk Hamidin Amin.
Football authorities also warned that the decision might be viewed by FIFA as government interference, which the latter does not tolerate.
Malaysia will face Myanmar tomorrow night at Yangon’s Thuwanna Stadium. The winner will proceed to the semi-finals.
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