New benchmark set for welfare of footballers - PFAM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Football League (MFL) set a new benchmark to prevent player welfare problems from recurring next season when they did not renew the licences of two Super League teams, according to the Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia (PFAM).

PFAM in a statement said the action highlights that the voices of the players is heard, thus guaranteeing an environment free from any form of welfare problems, especially salary arrears.

"PFAM is always ready and open to establish cooperation with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and MFL to help and protect the fate of players who are directly affected by this situation (salary arrears).

"Therefore, PFAM hopes that all parties will continue to support the aspiration to reject any form of suppression of players' rights because they are an important asset that needs to be defended for a brighter football future," said the statement.

Yesterday, Melaka United FC and Sarawak United FC failed to secure slots to play in the Super League 2023 because they failed to meet the criteria set by the 2022 MFL Licensing Regulations, and have until next Wednesday (Oct 19) to submit appeals.

Melaka United failed to show proof of payment of salary arrears for players and officials until June and August this year.

 Sarawak United, on the other hand, failed to meet financial and sporting criteria and had two FIFA cases whereby a decision was made by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC)  concerning former players Sandro Da Silva Mendonca and Taylor Francis George Regan.

Meanwhile, local football observer Associate Professor Dr Zulakbal Abd Karim described the decision made by MFL's First Instance Body (FIB) as worthy of praise because quality is better than quantity for the smoothness of the new structure of the Malaysian League next season.

"I see this as the right action to show FIB and MFL's firmness because if we let the issue of salaries and so on to persist there will be no end and will only be detrimental to the players.

 "I personally prefer to say that we need to care about quality over quantity where only those who really deserve play and if the MFL is not strict, I think no team will respect the rules after this," he said in a separate statement.

UiTM Shah Alam's Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation senior lecturer, Mohd Sadek Mustafa said that he hoped that this decision will open the eyes of many to no longer take the financial aspects of the team for granted after this, besides being more responsible in finding funds to take care of their clubs better.

"What happened shows team management and capital in investing financial resources is a risk where it is not easy to manage a club," he explained.

-- BERNAMA