April Fool's Joke?

Below is the Press Statement released by the FA of Malaysia awhile ago in reference to articles in local newspapers and online portals that the national soccer body's secretary general, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad had said there is a possible conspiracy within the FAM to remove national coach, Datuk K. Rajagobal.

For starters, I thought that the Press Statement was an April Fool's joke, but apparently it is not!

Basically the statement states that what Azuddin had said in an interview with three sports journalist from the English media on the question about internal conspiracy, had been used as the main content for their report. The statement further added that Azzuddin to the question whether there is an internal conspiracy to remove Rajagobal, had spontaneously replied that in all issues any possibility cannot be ruled out.

The statement goes on to say, in view of the newspaper reports, FAM intends to clear the air to say  that the statement by Azuddin had been used in the wrong context. And at the same time FAM wants to state that there is NO conspiracy within FAM as reported.

This is all so confusing. In first part of the statement it is said that one part of interview about the possible conspiracy was used as the main story by the journalists and in the next paragraph state that it was used in the wrong context and in the same line says that there is NO conspiracy.

So what is this all about. Has pressure been put on Azzuddin to deny what he has said or has the statement been issued so that the secretary general does not get hauled up by the famous Article 88?

And in any case when does the interviewer decides which part of his interview will be the lead in the story the journalists write?

Seriously now, tell  me it is really an April Fool's joke from FA of Malaysia!

 

PERSATUAN BOLASEPAK MALAYSIA

                                      SIARAN MEDIA 1 APRIL 2013

PENJELASAN TENTANG WUJUD KONSPIRASI DALAMAN FAM

Kenyataan kononnya wujud konspirasi dalaman FAM untuk mengugurkan Ketua Jurulatih Pasukan Kebangsaan YBhg Datuk K.Rajagobal. Dengan ini FAM ingin menjelaskan Laporan beberapa media tempatan berhubung perkara ini.

Di dalam wawancara minggu lalu yang dihadiri oleh 3 orang wartawan dari akhbar berbahasa Inggeris, Setiausaha Agung FAM di ajukan soalan samada wujudnya konspirasi dalaman FAM untuk menggugurkan YBhg Datuk K.Rajagobal. Jawapan spontan Setiausaha Agung adalah didalam semua isu segala kemungkinan tidak boleh di ketepikan. Dukacitanya jawapan ini dipetik sebagai kenyataan utama yang di siarkan didalam akhbar.

Sehubungan dengan itu FAM ingin memperjelaskan bahawa kenyataan Setiausaha Agung itu disalah ertikan. Dengan ini FAM ingin menyatakan bahawa TIDAK ada sebarang konspirasi dalaman sebagaimana yang dilaporkan.

Sekian.