KUALA LUMPUR − Looking for a challenge was the key factor that made Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) general secretary, Stuart Ramalingam, choose to accept his appointment as the new chief executive officer of the Malaysian Football League (MFL) effective September 1.
Stuart, 44, who avows to be a passionate football fan, sees it as a factor throughout his journey to do the job well.
“I feel that the challenge in MFL is fundamental towards where the football industry is going to be, and as a very passionate Malaysian, I am also a passionate football person, who eats, breathes and sleeps football.
“Because of that, I feel that while the pressure and the severity of the role may be more evident in MFL today, I take on that challenge because I feel I can, and I will, provide some change in the near future for it, and hopefully in the long run as well,” he said in a virtual press conference today.
Stuart was confirmed as the new CEO of the MFL on Monday, succeeding Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan, who was appointed MFL president last week, to take over the post vacated by Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, who tendered his resignation on August 12.
Stuart, who was appointed FAM general secretary in July 2018, refused to comment on his appointment, which has been linked to his brother, Kevin Ramalingam, who is the former CEO of MFL and is now active in the local football industry with reigning Super League champions, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).
He said that although they both share the same surname, they are both different individuals with different abilities.
“Whatever that he has done to establish MFL, to create the product that it is today, I wouldn’t be able to have done that, so all credit to him, to have evolved from association-based football to a private entity like MFL.
“I truly appreciate all the work he has done when he was at the MFL because the fundamental foundation work of what he has done is a thing that I may not have been able to deliver. However, I think maybe now, as the vehicle is running, I can improve it moving forward,” he added.
Kevin, who was the CEO of The Red Warriors Sdn Bhd before becoming CEO of Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (now known as MFL) in April 2015, resigned from the post in November 2019.
In the meantime, Stuart asked for some time to get to know the whole of MFL before he finalises the mission and vision, as well as its direction. – Bernama, August 25, 2021
