AFC seeks to heal ties with Malaysian leaders

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 4 (Reuters) The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) welcomed leading Malaysian government officials to their headquarters today, hoping to work towards healing a rift caused by a Manchester United friendly.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak and Azalina Othman Said, the minister for youth and sports, met with AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam to discuss the body's Vision Asia project in the Malaysian capital.

Relations between the two were strained in June when the AFC insisted Football Association Malaysia (FAM) cancel an exhibition match involving English Premier League champions Manchester United.

AFC felt the match, scheduled for July 27, would detract from the Asian Cup final in Jakarta two days later.

The Malaysian government then ordered the match to go ahead as part of the country's 50th anniversary celebrations but United eventually cancelled the Kuala Lumpur leg of their Asian Tour.

Today, Hammam encouraged Malaysia to join the Vision Asia project, which aims to raise the standard of football in all areas, from administration to marketing.

Najib said on the AFC website: ''I was very impressed with the programme. I have always emphasised on development. In Malaysia, we have the people, the enthusiasm and the resources, but we do not have the guidance, facilities, professional coaching and career path.'' As co-hosts with Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, Malaysia had a woeful Asian Cup, losing all their Group C matches, prompting the resignation of FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

REUTERS PDS BST1732