KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called for the responsibility of managing football clubs to be entrusted only to parties with genuine financial and managerial capabilities, to ensure the sustainability of the domestic league and safeguard the welfare of players.
She said the failure of some clubs to manage fundamental responsibilities, such as paying salaries and ensuring players’ welfare, has likely undermined efforts to attract and retain sponsors in support of football development.
“So, if football is already finding it difficult to get sponsors, imagine how it is for other sports. Football has a large audience, which is why I believe that to convince sponsors, all they want to see is how a club is run, how they pay salaries or look after the welfare of players.
“I urge that those who are not capable should not ‘touch’ it, let others take over. Sometimes, there are those who cannot manage but still want to hold on to power, preventing others from stepping in,” she told reporters here last night.
Hannah also reminded that football is not a cheap sport, as it requires a vast ecosystem to ensure the smooth running of the league and the development of players.
The financial crisis that has plagued local football teams in recent years has worsened, with Perak FC deciding to dissolve its team and withdraw from the upcoming Super League season, while several other teams are reportedly considering similar moves.
Perak is reported to have spent nearly RM40 million over the past three years.
On the direction of the Malaysian League (M-League), Hannah said the Malaysian Football League (MFL), as the governing body, should hold comprehensive discussions with stakeholders to ensure a more structured and sustainable future for the league.
Meanwhile, she said Super League giants Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are an example of a professional club that should serve as a benchmark for others, and she did not see the Southern Tigers’ dominance as diminishing the competitive nature of the league.
“I don’t think you can fault JDT for being good. You should be working towards matching their standard, rather than saying, ‘because you’re too good, I’ll boycott, and I don’t want to play’. I think it doesn’t make sense.
“To me, JDT are raising the standard of football, a club in Malaysia, and that’s a good thing. (Other teams should) find a way to become great competitors to JDT, that should be their goal, rather than saying, ‘because I can never be as good as JDT, I don’t want to play’. That’s not sportsmanship,” she added. — Bernama
