Former Malaysia national head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee has been officially appointed as the new Technical Director of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), effective 1 December 2025, replacing Oscar Francisco Gonzalez.
The appointment was formally announced by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Acting President Datuk Wira Mohd Yusoff Mahadi during a press conference held at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, on Monday, 22 December 2025.
The decision to bring Ong Kim Swee into the key developmental role was made earlier by the NFDP Technical Committee, chaired by FAM Deputy President Dato’ S. Sivasundaram, who also serves as Chairman of the FAM Technical & Development Committee, in collaboration with the National Sports Council (MSN).
At 55, Ong Kim Swee — who is also the President of the Malaysia Football Coaches Association (PJBM) — was widely viewed as the most suitable candidate, given his extensive experience and deep understanding of grassroots and elite football development structures in Malaysia.
Ong Kim Swee’s coaching pedigree spans more than two decades. He began shaping young talents at Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil (SSBJ) before becoming a central figure in the Harimau Muda programme, and later reaching the pinnacle as Harimau Malaya head coach in 2016.
Among his notable achievements:
- Youth Cup Champion (2007)
- Youth Cup Runner-up (2008)
- Premier League Champion (2009)
- SEA Games Gold Medal (2011)
- Merdeka Tournament Champion (2013)
- SEA Games Silver Medal (2017)
- AFC U-23 Championship Quarter-finalist (2018)
- Asian Games 2018 Round of 16 qualification
Beyond the touchline, Ong Kim Swee has also served FAM in various technical leadership capacities, including Head of Youth Unit, Assistant Technical Director, and Technical Director of FAM in 2021.
At club level, the former Melaka, Sarawak and Sabah midfielder of the 1990s began his coaching career with Melaka in 2005, before taking charge of Sabah FC from October 2021 to November 2024.
He later expanded his experience abroad in Indonesia, serving as head coach of Persis Solo (November 2024 – June 2025) and Persik Kediri (June – November 2025), before returning home to take on the NFDP role.
With his appointment, expectations are high that Ong Kim Swee will play a crucial leadership role in revitalising Malaysia’s grassroots football ecosystem through more structured planning, effective implementation and long-term development pathways.
As the new steward of NFDP, Ong Kim Swee is tasked with rebuilding the foundation of Malaysian football — ensuring that the next generation of players is better prepared, technically refined and competitive on the regional and continental stage.
Credit Photo : Goal Thailand
