KUALA LUMPUR/ZURICH: FIFA has confirmed the resignation from its governing council of Malaysia’s Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

This follows his elevation to the status of agong of Malaysia, one of the few countries in the world with an elected monarch, in a ballot held at the end of last month.

In 2015 Al-Sultan Abdullah, who was the FA of Malaysia president from 2014-2017, had been the first Malaysian to hold a FIFA role since the late Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah.

FIFA, in a letter addressed to the king from president Gianni Infantino and secretary-general Fatma Samoura, acknowledged receiving Al-Sultan Abdullah’s resignation and expressed gratitude for his services to world football.

He had served on a string of FIFA committees since 1994.

His departure had already been signalled by his absence from the list of candidates for election at the AFC’s election congress in Kuala Lumpur on April 6.

Election candidates:

  • AFC President and FIFA Vice President
HE Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (BAH)
Mr. Saoud A.Aziz M A Al-Mohannadi (QAT)
HE Mohamed Khalfan Matar Saeed Alromaithi (UAE)
  • Five AFC Vice Presidents
(WEST)
Mr. Kosay bin Abdulaziz Al Fawaz (KSA)
Mr. Saoud A.Aziz M A Al- Mohannadi (QAT)
Mr. Hachem Haidar (LIB) 

(CENTRAL)
Mr. Semetei Sultanov (KGZ)
Mr. Mehdi Taj (IRN)

(SOUTH)
Mr. Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat (PAK)
Mr. Praful Patel (IND)

(ASEAN)
Dato’ Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin (MAS)
Pol. Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung (THA)
Dr. Tran Quoc Tuan (VIE)
Mr. Zaw Zaw (MYA)

(EAST)
Mr. Ganbaatar Amgalanbaatar (MNG)
Mr. Mong Gyu Chung (KOR)
Mr. Du Zhaocai (CHN)
Mr. Valentino San Gil (GUM)

  • Six FIFA Council Members, one of whom shall also be an AFC Female Executive Committee Member
Mr. Saoud A.Aziz M A Al- Mohannadi (QAT)
Mr. Khalid Awad A. Althebity (KSA)
Mr. Mariano V. Araneta, Jr. (PHI)
Mr. Mong Gyu Chung (KOR)
Mr. Du Zhaocai (CHN)
Mr. Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat (PAK)
Mr. Praful Patel (IND)
Mr. Kohzo Tashima (JPN)
Mr. Mehdi Taj (IRN)
  • A total of five AFC Female Executive Committee Members, one of whom shall also be a FIFA Council member
(WEST)
Ms. Susan R. A Alshalabi (PLE)
(SOUTH)
Ms. Mahfuza Akhter Kiron (BAN)
Ms. Mariyam Mohamed (MDV)
(ASEAN)
Ms. Kanya Keomany (LAO)
(EAST)
Ms. Han Un Gyong (DPR)
  • A further nine AFC Executive Committee members
(WEST)
Mr. Abed-Alkhaliq Masoud Ahmed (IRQ)
Dr. Hamid Mohammed Ali Al-Shaibani (YEM)
Mr. Luai Ibrahim A. Alsubaiey (KSA)
HE Sheikh Salem Said Salem Al Wahaibi (OMA)
HE Eng. Marwan bin Ghalita (UAE)
Mr. Hachem Haidar (LIB) 

(CENTRAL)
Mr. Sayed Ali Reza Aghazada (AFG)

(SOUTH)
Mr. Anura De Silva (SRI)
Mr. Karma Tsering Sherpa (NEP)
Mr. Ugen Tsechup (BHU)

(ASEAN)
Dato’ Haji Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin (MAS)
Mr. Joko Driyono (IDN)
Mr. Lee Boon Aun Winston (SGP)
Mr. Chris Nikou (AUS)
Pol. Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung (THA)
Dr. Tran Quoc Tuan (VIE)

(EAST)
Mr. Ganbaatar Amgalanbaatar (MNG)
Mr. Mong Gyu Chung (KOR)
Mr. Fok Kai Shan Eric (HKG)
Mr. Valentino San Gil (GUM)
Mr. Kohzo Tashima (JPN)

The nominated candidates will now be required to go through an eligibility check conducted by the AFC Electoral Committee and for the FIFA council positions, by the FIFA Review Committee.

The AFC Electoral Committee will be responsible for all tasks relating to the organisation, running and supervision of the elections. The elections of the FIFA Council positions will be monitored by persons appointed by the FIFA Governance Committee.

The final list of candidates will be published at the latest 30 days prior to the Congress as stipulated in the AFC Statutes (Edition 2018) and the AFC Electoral Code (Edition 2018).

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