PKNS, PKNP are the 'Reserve Team', UiTM promoted to Super League

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 -- The Malaysian Football League (MFL) has approved the application from the Football Association of Selangor (FAS) and the Perak Football Association (PAFA) to change the status of PKNS FC and PKNP FC as the 'Reserve Team’.

The MFL said in a statement today that the approval was given on condition that FAS and PAFA should meet the requirements for the two clubs to qualify as a Reserve Team, which includes financial stability, the transition of PKNS FC and PKNP FC contracts that follow the rules and facilities for training before the status comes into effect next year.

"MFL Board of Directors have accepted FAS and PAFA applications stating that they have a plan for the betterment of football, especially for the development of young players and the expense of managing both teams will be prudent," said the statement.

The statement said that under Article 2.1 of the Reserve Team guidelines, any team wishing to set up a Reserve Team would need to submit a written request to the MFL one year before the start of the season, however, Article 2.2 stated that the MFL Board of Directors had the sole discretion to allow a team to establish a Reserve Team where the 'Parent Club' and the Reserve Team should belong to the same party.

Meanwhile, MFL has decided to elevate fifth-placed Premier League team, UiTM FC to the 2020 Super League to fill in the vacancy left by PKNS FC, while Sabah and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will make their way into the Super League by taking the place of Kuala Lumpur and PKNP FC.

With the top two teams of the M3 League having a chance to advance to the Premier League through qualifying playoffs against the 11th and 12th place team in the Premier League, the M3 League champion Kelantan United deserves a bye after Perlis FA was not eligible to play in the play-off and relegated to the 2020 M3 League season after being eliminated from the Premier League this season.

-- BERNAMA