Futsal: SMGB Group main sponsor of Pahang Rangers

KUANTAN, Aug 25  -- Mineral exploration and mining company SMGB Group has confirmed that it will be futsal club Pahang Rangers’ (PRFC) main sponsor for the 2021 season after signing an agreement with the club.

PRFC announced the sponsorship in a statement today, stating that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed a week ago by PRFC president Tengku Arif Temenggong Pahang Tengku Fahd Mua'adzam Shah and SMGB chief executive officer Datuk Lee Chung Han.

Under the partnership, SMGB will not only provide cash sponsorship to boost PRFC, which will be competing in the Malaysia Premier Futsal League (MPFL), but also be involved in organising clinics, academies and specific programmes to unearth and develop new futsal talents, especially from the Orang Asli community in Lanchang, Termerloh.

Meanwhile, Tengku Fahd said the partnership would spur PRFC to excel in domestic futsal and is another milestone for the club, having previously signed collaboration agreements with UD Levante (Spain) and Chonburi Bluewave (Thailand) in 2020.

"We welcome SMGB into our fraternity and we hope this partnership will provide a boost to the team and lead us forward to create historical moments in futsal,” Tengku Fahd said.

Meanwhile, Lee said the company was proud to be part of the futsal club and was optimistic that PRFC would become a great team based on the professionalism displayed by the management, coaching staff and the team players.

"Everyone knows PRFC is ready and it is our duty to assist in conducting training, developing talent and ensuring that they remain as a great team,” he said.

In addition to the partnership in futsal, both parties also agreed to support elephant conservation efforts at the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre in Temerloh as one of SMGB’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

In 2019, PRFC, who had 11 national players in the team, emerged as runner-ups in the inaugural MPFL season and are aiming for the top position in the next season.

The 2020 season, however, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2021 season is expected to take place around October or November this year.

-- BERNAMA