PETALING JAYA - The Palestinian football team have confirmed their withdrawal from the 42nd edition of the 2023 Merdeka Tournament due to the tense situation in their country at the moment.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram said the Palestinian team's withdrawal was made at the last minute after receiving confirmation from the Palestinian Football Association at about 2 am today.
Despite Palestine's withdrawal, he said the competition format would remain unchanged with just three teams - Malaysia, India and Tajikistan - taking part.
"Based on the latest situation, Malaysia will still meet India on Friday (Oct 13, 9 pm) at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
"Tajikistan will be given a bye and move straight into the final on Tuesday, Oct 17 (9 pm) at the same venue, where they will meet the winners of the match between Malaysia and India," he told a press conference here today.
Based on the original schedule, Palestine were scheduled to meet Tajikistan on Friday at 4.30 pm and Malaysia taking on India later that day, with the winners meeting in the final and the losers in the third-fourth placing match.
Asked if FAM would seek a replacement for Palestine, Sivasundaram said there was insufficient time to do so as other teams had already made plans for friendly matches with other countries.
Although FAM had never faced such a situation where a team pulled out at the last minute, FAM vice-president Mohd Firdaus Mohamed described it as a lesson for them, adding that the crisis in Palestine was inevitable.
The recent clashes in Palestine involving Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, and the Israeli regime have resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives on both sides since Oct 7.
Meanwhile, FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman said the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil is ready to host the 2023 Merdeka Tournament after the pitch was replaced with the new Zeon Zoysia type of grass in April.
The cost of planting the Zeon Zoysia grass to replace the cow grass is estimated to have cost RM1.4 million and is sponsored by Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim. - BERNAMA