PETALING JAYA – The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, fired a broadside at his critics today, offering himself up as a public scapegoat for the heritage player scandal if it would end the finger-pointing that has engulfed Malaysian football.
In a defiant press conference, he also took aim at the media and other observers, accusing them of being unwilling to defend the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) because they were not getting the answers they wanted.
Speaking at a hotel in Subang Jaya, the Regent made his position clear during a question-and-answer session.
“If it helps you sleep soundly at night to blame me for this issue, I accept it with an open heart. I’ll take it,” he declared, repeating the sentiment at the end of the conference for emphasis.
The Regent, whose name has been repeatedly linked to the fiasco, confronted claims that he was the central figure in the controversy while challenging the media’s role in shaping public perception.
“Since when have you journalists ever defended FAM? As long as I’ve been alive, no one has ever defended FAM,” he countered when a journalist suggested that the media wanted to stand up for the association.
He implied that much of the dissatisfaction stemmed from a refusal to accept the facts presented.
“Maybe it’s because you’re not getting the answer you seek. That’s why you’re not satisfied — because it’s not what you want to hear,” he said.
The press conference was called to clarify his informal involvement in the national team project, where he has acted as an “assistant” to help secure government funding and improve facilities.
He urged the public and media to separate their personal opinions of him from their support for the national team.
“If you want to be against someone, be against TMJ. The national team is the country’s team. You should stand with the national team; you should stand with FAM.” — October 25, 2025