KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) welcomes the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ (KBS) decision to allow the national team to train, and will immediately hold discussions with the various parties involved including the National Sports Council (MSN).

FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said discussions will also be held soon with the Malaysian League (M-League) teams over the matter.

"Considering that this central training camp needs to be held under quarantine, we need to plan carefully in obtaining MSN’s approval, especially in terms of accommodation and training field facilities before being able to set a date for the camp to be held.

"Many other things also need to be considered, including the release of players, as the M-League clubs are also in preparation for the kick-off of the 2021 Super League and Premier League campaigns at the end of February,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican in a statement confirmed that the Harimau Malaya squad had been given permission to undergo a central training camp using a quarantine approach at MSN in Bukit Jalil.

According to Reezal, MSN has the appropriate facilities to prepare the team for the 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup second round qualifiers in March.

Tan Cheng Hoe’s squad will meet the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Abu Dhabi on March 25 and Vietnam at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil (March 30). — Bernama