KUALA LUMPUR: At a time when numerous quarters question the quality of refereeing in local football, a former experienced national referee steps forward to defend the action of referees in Malaysia.
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh, a referee in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and in 2010 in South Africa, regarded the action of those who questioned the decisions of referees in several Malaysia Cup matches as inappropriate.
“Referees are also normal human beings, and are not free from making mistakes. But I believe they always learn from mistakes to ensure they are not repeated,” he told Bernama today.
He was commenting on several incidents in the current Malaysia Cup campaign which sparked feelings of dissatisfaction on the decision made by referees, including by Johor Football Association (PBNJ) president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim who demanded that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) carry out changes to improve the quality of local refereeing.
Meanwhile, FAM Referees Committee chairman, Datuk Astaman Abdul Aziz, in a newspaper report today, said the committee only received five official complaints on the quality of refereeing from 780 overall matches, last season.
Of the five complaints, he said only two were found to have basis which simultaneously prove the quality of refereeing in the country was satisfactory.
Commenting further, Subkhiddin, who was currently handling refereeing courses nationwide, stressed that the decision of referees in confirming a goal in a match was based on his observation aided by the linesmen.
“Maybe, some of us watching television presume a player has scored a goal but they must understand that the angle taken by the television camera normally is from the centre of the pitch.
“So, this is where the linesman plays his role to help the referee to confirm whether the ball has crossed the goal line or not,” he said.
On accusations by certain quarters that Malaysian referees were involved in corruption, Subkhiddin said the accusation was totally baseless because most referees in the country made their living in other fields.
“Not all referees in the country are full timers, some of them are teachers, contractors and others.
“For me, it is totally untrue that referees in the country are involved in corruption and match-fixing because they also have their dignity,” said Subkhiddin, who is a teacher at the Vocational College in Nibong Tebal, Penang. — BERNAMA