Football Association Of Malaysia President Conferred Prestigious FIFA Award In Budapest

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah was presented the FIFA's prestigious Order of Merit award on the opening day of the 62nd FIFA Congress in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, on Thursday. The Ruler of Pahang, who is currently the president of the Asean Football Federation (AFF), received the award which was presented by FIFA's president Sepp Blatter. The former AFC president, who helmed the Asian football governing body from 1994 until 2002, plays an influential role in giving a new vision to Asian football, AFC was quoted as saying on its website, www.the-afc.com. Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah's stewardship of the AFC for eight years saw the continental game take off in the right direction and scale new heights. New and exciting milestones were the order under his presidency as the Asian confederation grew in stature and made a name of its own, AFC said. Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah's dedicated efforts also saw world football's biggest extravaganza - the FIFA World Cup were being co-hosted successfully for the first time by two Asian countries namely Japan and South Korea in 2002. -- BERNAMA