Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor poses with Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir at a friendly football match between Akmal Nasrullah’s team and Muhammad Sanusi’s team at Taman Pekatra Ampat junction in Nibong Tebal June 30, 2024.
Akmal Nasrullah’s team included former national striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, or Mat Yo, winner of the 2016 Puskas FIFA Award Mohd Faiz Subri, Petaling Jaya and Kuching MPs Jaya Lee Chean Chung and Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, while Muhammad Sanusi’s line-up also included former national footballer Baddrol Bakhtiar.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Akmal Nasrullah said the programme’s success is a positive sign that the country’s political campaigns are becoming more mature, reducing the elements of provocation and extremism.“In elections, we may come from different teams, but in reality, we can play ball together that concludes well before we return to the election campaign tonight,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Sanusi described the match as a beginning of greater cooperation in the future, besides helping to turn down the campaigning temperature.