Time for Sabah Sarawak's Direct Affiliation to FIFA and World Cup

KOTA KINABALU - “The 10-0 thrashing of the “Harimau Malaya” or “Malaya Tigers” football team  representing Malaysia at the hands of the United Arab Emirates has highlighted the issue of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of the Federation of Malaysia from a sporting angle,” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, commenting on the humiliating defeat.

To rub salt into the wound to downplay the nightmarish defeat, some in social media even joked that UAE was not the United Arab Emirates that gave the Malaysian team a thrashing but UAE stood for Uruguay, Argentina and Espanyol (Spain).

Some even joked based on the RM2.6 billion donation from the Arabs with one post saying that 26 goals will be donated, with 10 from UAE and another 16 to be donated by Saudi Arabia in Malaysia next game.  Another posting said that RM2.6 billion donations had 10 zeros and the Arabs liked to donate with 10 zero as in 10-0.   Even 1MDB has become 10MDB in another post, being “10 Malaysia DiBelasahi”.

On the other end, it was happy days for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the on-going European Championship qualifying rounds. On Saturday, England qualified with Wales and Northern Ireland on the brink of qualification and Scotland still in with a chance of qualifying for the Euro finals.

It was highlighted that like Sabah and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaysia, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are member States of the United Kingdom.

The contrasting fortunes in football between the UK partners and the Malaysian partners have raised the dreams of footballing federalism purists hoping that Sabah and Sarawak will apply for direct affiliation to FIFA, the world football governing body and having a shot at qualifying for the World Cup rather than languishing in the Malaysian team ranked 185 in the world football ranking.

For the footballing purists and enthusiasts, it whetted their aspirations and raises the hope of football in Sabah and Sarawak which used to be part of the backbone of the Malaysia teams that qualified for the Olympics in the 1980s and 1990.

Sabah and Sarawak joining FIFA cannot be discounted, if Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are allowed direct affiliation, there is no reason to deny Sabah.   After all, Sabah (North Borneo then) had participated on its own right in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 before Malaya gained its independence in 1957 and before the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

Before the thrashing, Sabahans and Sarawakians were already uneasy with the national team using the name “Harimau Malaya” as though Malaysia did not include Sabah and Sarawak or that Malaya was Malaysia.

The thrashing of the Malaya Tigers will increase the talk of Sabah and Sarawak football in Malaysia and perhaps push for their direct affiliation with FIFA. Direct affiliation can only bring increased enthusiasm for football and footballing youths and support from the people.

By Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan (Chairman of STAR Sabah)