Let's join hands to tackle match-fixing, FAM tells FAS

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SINGAPORE - The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is to ask the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and the police to join their Malaysian counterparts in the fight against match-fixing.

The suggestion had been put forward by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) general-secretary Azzudin Ahmad during his visit to Singapore last week for the opening 2012 Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League match between Gombak United and Malaysia's Harimau Muda at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

"When I was there in Singapore for the S-League opener, I suggested to the FAS officials they should get their anti-corruption team and police to work together with our Malaysian counterparts to tackle the match-fixing menace," Azzudin told Today in a phone interview from Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

"Naturally, the FAS officials are keen on the proposal because it's for the good of football," Azzudin added. "The idea is to get the two enforcement agencies from both countries to sit together, share information and see how they can fight match-fixing.

"I would be following up on the proposal with an official letter from FAM to my Singapore counterpart."

To tackle match-fixing, the FAM has formed the Integrity and Co-ordinating Committee to monitor the situation.

Azzudin revealed that heading the new committee is Osman Bakar, a 61-year-old retired assistant commissioner and former player with Penang.

He is better known as part of the famous Bakar brothers, a footballing family from Penang whose claim to fame included his late brothers, Ali and Isa, both of whom were former Malaysian internationals.

Eldest brother Ali died in Singapore aged 56 during a friendly in 2003 between the ex-Malaysian internationals against their Singapore counterparts at the Tampines Stadium.

Isa, part of the Penang side which lost 3-2 to Singapore in the 1977 Malaysia Cup final, passed away two years ago of illness.

"Osman is the right choice to head the committee because he was also part of the police team which conducted investigations and the subsequent arrest and banishment of more than 150 footballers in the crackdown of 1994," said Azzudin.

"But it is important that there must be co-operation from the enforcement agencies from both countries if we are to fight match-fixing more effectively, especially as Singapore are back in Malaysian football with the participation of the LionsXII in the Malaysian Super League."