IN FOCUS: What's the secret sauce behind Malaysia football's revival, and does it hold lessons for arch-rival Singapore?

KUALA LUMPUR: Win, lose, or draw, Mr Kamaruddin Selamat’s passion for Malaysia's national football team has never wavered. 

Since following the team intently from 2010, the teacher has tried his best to go for almost every game, home or away. 

He has watched the Harimau Malaya, or Malaysian Tigers, being thrashed on multiple occasions and, once, had water bottles of urine thrown at him in Indonesia during an away game.

The last two years, however, have been the most rewarding of his 14 years as a diehard fan.

In June 2022, the 40-year-old father of five shed tears of joy when Malaysia beat Bangladesh 4-1 to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup.   

“It was one of my sweetest moments following the team. I consider myself to be the 12th man and will always try my best to be there during every game,” he told CNA.

He saved up following Malaysia’s qualification and followed his team to the tournament in Qatar in January to watch all three of its group games.   

Malaysia lost 4-0 in the first match to eventual runners-up Jordan, and 1-0 to Bahrain in the second. In the third, it held Asian football giant South Korea – which had Europe-based players such as Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Kang-in in the lineup – to a shock 3-3 draw. 

For many Malaysians, this result harked back to the 1970s and 1980s when the country was considered a force in Asian football and on par with the likes of Japan and South Korea. Malaysia’s football team qualified for the Olympics in 1972 and 1980.   

Mr Kamaruddin happened to be behind the goal when Malaysia scored the last-minute equaliser against South Korea.

“I … managed to record the video of the equaliser being scored. That has to be my best moment. It was a priceless and unforgettable