KUCHING: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has issued the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) a conditional national football club licence, but obviously FAS is not happy with the conditions stated by FAM.
According to FAS president Datuk Posa Majais, the conditions stated in the licence were unfair to FAS as it questioned the safety of Sarawak Stadium and State Stadium.
“Our stadiums have been used as venues for the Malaysian League for 30 years but why is FAM questioning the safety of our stadiums now?
“What about other stadiums elsewhere which safety I believe may be worse. Why is FAM picking just on us?” asked Posa.
Posa said he has contacted FAM to express FAS’ unhappiness and protested against the conditions and is waiting for the outcome of FAM meeting today (Nov 12).
“FAM will be having their meeting tomorrow and we (FAS) are also going to have our meeting tomorrow and will see the outcome of their meeting,” Posa told TribuneSports yesterday.
Posa added that the safety of the stadiums comes under the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) and there is nothing much FAS could do.
Hence, he said FAM should not use stadium safety as the condition to approve FAS football club licence, adding that FAM must be fair in the matter.
Nevertheless, Posa stressed that all this while FAS has always given attention on safety at match venues and will continue to do so.
FAS secretariat has submitted all the required documents to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) First Instance Body (FIB) for the club licensing on October 30, the final day to do so.
FAM requires M-League teams to take club licensing seriously in order to continue playing in the national league.
The 12-team Super League is into its third year of club licensing while the 12-team Premier League is into its first year.
FAM secretary general Stuart Ramal ingam has said nine teams that played in the 2019 Super League have been granted national club licences for the 2020 season.
They are Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Terengganu, Felda United and PJ City.
Out of the nine, only six — JDT, Kedah, KL, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu — have obtained the Asian Football Confederation licences.
Three teams — Negri Sembilan, Sabah and UiTM — of the nine Premier League 2019 have met the requirements and granted national club licences for the 2020 season.
However, Police, Penang and Selangor United have been given conditional licences and if they fail to fulfill the criteria, they will be demoted to the M3 League.
As for Perak SEDC, Stuart said FAM-FIB have turned down their appeal for a licence.
“They failed to get a national licence after failing to meet the criteria and will be relegated to the 2020 Premier League.
“They have not shown commitment or uploaded any document despite FAM-FIB’s efforts to contact them,” said FAM-FIB chairman Sheikh Mohd Nasir Sheikh Mohd Sharif.
The FAM-FIB also requires clubs to submit a statutory declaration from Socso, EPF or IRB to them latest by Dec 15.
FAM-FIB will visit the clubs and do auditing after Dec 15 to ensure that what is stated in the declaration letter is true.
