Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak feels ‘deeply honoured’ to receive Asian football’s highest accolade – Diamond of Asia.
The AFC Diamond of Asia was conferred on Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak at the AFC Annual Awards gala at the Sunway Hotel Resort and Spa on Wednesday.
“I am deeply honoured to be the recipient of the 2010 Diamond of Asia award. My passion for football extends beyond my close observation of matches,” Najib told the-afc.com
“The sport has much to offer beyond its entertainment value and has been a mainstay of Malaysian culture from our earliest days as a nation.”
“To me, football is more than just a game. It shows a group dynamic. For a football team to succeed, all players in the team, irrespective of their positions and skills, need to work together and play as a team. However great the footballers are as individual players, victory can only be achieved through teamwork.
“The same dynamics apply to nation building, to succeed and for Malaysia to reach Vision 2020 and become a fully developed country over the next ten years, we must form a 1Malaysia team that is united and aligned in purpose and vision, achieving the best for Malaysia through our collective efforts.”
Dato’ Sri Najib, who has seen the rise of Asian football from close quarters, believes Asian teams are now a formidable presence in international football.
“Asian football has grown rapidly from its humble beginnings and our teams are now a force to be reckoned with in the global arena. The performances of Asian teams in the FIFA World Cup prove this.
“I believe AFC has made a very important contribution to produce talented players and has helped spread the interest in football throughout the region. I am proud to congratulate them for their efforts.
“Since the formation of the AFC more than 55 years ago, we have achieved a lot in developing Asian football. For many decades the football powerhouses of Europe and Latin America dominated the global stage but now, we have several Asian teams that we can be proud of.
“I sincerely believe that one day Malaysia too will regain its strength in football and build a team equaling our glory days, when we were a mighty force in Asian football.”
About the role of Malaysia and Malaysians at the helm of AFC, the Prime Minister said: “Malaysia has played a prominent role throughout the history of the AFC, beginning with the country’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj, who served as AFC President from 1958.
“I have no doubts that football will continue to have strong roots in Malaysia. Our strength lies in our efforts to keep developing our young talents and preparing them to play at the highest level. The government will always encourage and support sports development, organise more international games and provide facilities and expertise to mould competitive athletes.
“In Malaysia football is a people’s game and I strongly believe it blends well with my core philosophy of ‘people first, performance now’. I am sure that Malaysia will be back as a force to reckon with in Asian football in the near future.”
Winners List for AFC Annual Awards Kuala Lumpur 2010:
