KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia 27 June 2025– A political storm erupted on Thursday as Yap Yee Vonne, political secretary to Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, fired back at MCA’s Neow Choo Seong, who demanded Yeoh’s resignation over internal football issues.
In a scathing response dated June 26, 2025, Yap accused Neow of emotional rhetoric and nostalgia for an outdated era, urging him to ground his criticism in facts rather than political grandstanding.
Neow’s recent statement called for Yeoh to step down, citing Harimau Malaya coach Peter Cklamovski’s comments on “internal issues” within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). Yap countered that such matters fall under FAM’s autonomy, not the minister’s purview, referencing both local and FIFA statutes that mandate the independence of sports bodies from political interference.
“If Neow cannot accept this, perhaps he should revisit the FIFA Statutes, Article 14 and 19,” Yap wrote, dismissing suggestions that Yeoh should micromanage teams, coaches, or athletes.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has, however, taken proactive steps, establishing a Sports Dispute Committee to address conflicts across all sports, Yap noted. She also criticized Neow’s implication that ministers should single-handedly resolve all issues, suggesting it would be better to dissolve sports associations entirely if that were the case.
Yap defended Yeoh’s record, highlighting reforms like paid contracts for Podium athletes under the Malaysia Sports Corporation (MSN), including EPF and SOCSO contributions starting January 1, 2024—a first under the MADANI government. Yap also pointed to recent achievements: the national badminton team ending an 18-year drought by winning the 2025 Badminton Asia Championships, Malaysia’s dominance in sepak takraw and lawn bowls world titles, and young racer Hakim Danish Ramli’s seven consecutive podiums in Europe.
“These successes are not about lifting trophies but about the support KBS and its agencies provide at every step,” she said, rebuking Neow’s claim of no progress by the Malaysian contingent as “unfair” to athletes’ hard work. Yap urged Neow to back criticism with evidence, warning that political stunts undermine credible discourse.
The exchange has raised eyebrows, with Yap questioning Neow’s adherence to Public Service Department rules as a special officer to another minister, accusing him of dual loyalties within the MADANI government.
“If you’re incapable, it’s better to step aside,” Yap concluded, echoing Neow’s own rhetoric.
The spat underscores ongoing tensions over sports governance, with Yeoh’s ministry emphasizing collaboration over control amid calls for accountability.