National football team to be known as "Harimau Malaysia"
Tengku Abdullah (third from left) with the sponsors and FAM officials. /Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The national football team will now be called 'Harimau Malaysia'.
FA of Malaysia president (FAM) Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who announced this on Tuesday, hoped the new name would spur the team to reach greater heights.
"FAM feels 'Harimau Malaya' is no longer suitable in view of the fact the word Malaya itself is not used widely in the country after the formation of Malaysia in 1963. I hope the new name better reflects that the national team belongs to all Malaysians.
"But I don't want just a name change. The players must have a new spirit to seek success ... a Harimau Malaysia which is more fearsome and can devour its opponents, at least in South-East Asia," he said at a ceremony to introduce the team's sponsorsHe also hoped that the squad, which received its new coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee officially on Jan 18, will not repeat its disgraceful performances of the past.
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