PETALING JAYA, April 13 — Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin accepted tonight a debate challenge from Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim on the declining state of Malaysia’s favourite sport — football.
“Yes,” Khairy said briefly when asked by reporters before the Sports Writers Association Malaysia (SAM) awards here.
“I do not know if it’s good [for national football]. But let me go there, better to have my say, and he has his say,” he said.
The prince had previously accused the minister of dodging responsibility by faulting players for their poor game following Malaysia’s slide in the Fifa rankings to an all-time low of 174 last week.
Last night, he upped the ante, seeking to take on Khairy, officials from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and national coaches saying a systematic solution was needed to fix the decline.
“If I don’t go, people will start talking, so it’s better to just go,” Khairy said.
He however refused to elaborate if he was ready to debate Tunku Ismail.
“Yes (to debate) means yes, that is all,” he said.
