He becomes only the third office-bearer in recent times to be handed a harsh punishment. Former FAM vice-president Datuk Seri Raja Ahmad Zainuddin was suspended for three years in 1991 before the late Datuk Ahmad Basri Akil, then a council member, was banned for four years in 2001.
Kelantan fans gathered in front of Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya at noon, chanting Annuar's name and singing state patriotic songs in support of the former sports minister.
Their chants become louder when Annuar appeared at 2.50pm and he acknowledged them before driving into FAM for the hearing.
Lawyer Kamaruddin Abdullah, a former board chairman, represented him while former MSL chief executive officer Stuart Ramalingam was called to give evidence.
Annuar, however, refused to comment after he walked out of the meeting room but was apologetic to the media.
"I am sorry but I have to get a written consent from the executive committee to make comments. It is tough as they meet only three or four times a year," said Annuar before he walked out of FAM to address the Kelantan fans.
Annuar faced two charges of making press statements in violation of Article 88 of FAM's disciplinary and ethical statutes and for going against the instructions of the executive committee meeting on Feb 4.
For both charges, which relate to Annuar's March 11 criticism of K. Rajagopal's national team, he was suspended for two years and six months respectively, to run cumulatively, with no avenue for appeal.
Disciplinary committee chairman Datuk Taufik Abdul Razak said Annuar is banned from all football activities at national and state level, meaning that he has to relinquish his positions as FAM deputy president and Kelantan FA president.
"To the first charge of violating Article 88, he has been suspended two years and the second charge six month. As this is the minimum suspension applicable, the suspensions cannot be appealed.
"Under Article 88 of the statutes, only the president and general secretary can issue press statements, unless another person has been authorised beforehand to do so.
"So there is a clear violation of the statutes when he made his statement. Whether that was part of his duties as deputy president, it is not our place to interpret it.
"We have gone strictly according to the wording of the statutes and this suspension is effective immediately," said Taufik after the seven-hour long meeting at Wisma FAM in Petaling Jaya.
Taufik said Annuar had been given a fair hearing but expressed his unease with Article 88.
"We believe the proceeding was fair and we allowed him to speak and produce witnesses on his behalf. He was given every chance to defend himself.
"We hope that everyone will understand that there has been a clear violation. If there is anyone who is unhappy, then perhaps a proposal to amend or loosen the statute should be put forward to the FAM congress.
"Only a simple majority is required to amend the statute," said Taufik, who added that Annuar had to leave before the end of the hearing to catch a flight to Kota Baru and would be informed of the decision later.
By AJITPAL SINGH AND DEVINDER SINGH | nstsport@nst.com.my
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