KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have rejected their president's request to stand down from his post in the wake of the national team's worst ever defeat, local media reported on Tuesday.

Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, a FIFA executive committee member, offered to quit as FAM head after the humiliating 10-0 defeat by the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup qualifier in Abu Dhabi last November.

The offer was turned down at a meeting of FAM's executive committee on Monday.

"We have decided to reject Tengku Abdullah’s request. The exco felt that he is still needed to spearhead FAM for now," FAM deputy president Seri Afandi Hamzah told Malaysia's Star newspaper.

"We will meet Tengku Abdullah and inform him of the exco’s decision ... we will now wait for his response."