Johan’s Statement Risks Sparking Controversy - Mohd Yusoff

KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 (Bernama) -- The decision by Selangor FC chief executive officer Dr Johan Kamal Hamidon to voice his views outside official channels has raised questions and could potentially spark polemics within the local football ecosystem, according to a veteran football administrator.

Former acting president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi, said the move was puzzling, given that Johan is not new to the country’s football administrative system.  

He said official platforms, such as meetings of the Malaysian Football League (MFL) board of directors and the MFL Congress, should be fully utilised if there is a genuine intention to improve the situation.

“When one chooses to speak outside, it is no longer merely a professional view, but opens the door to various perceptions,” he said in a statement today.

At the same time, Mohd Yusoff described the timing of the remarks as odd, raising speculation about the possibility of certain interests being at play.

He did not rule out the possibility that the move carried an underlying intent, including an attempt to divert attention from internal weaknesses that have yet to be comprehensively addressed.

He said criticising the league via external platforms could also be seen as an effort to exert indirect pressure on the MFL, while shaping a particular narrative.

“There is a tendency to build momentum from the outside, dragging in other parties. This is no longer a routine critique. Its impact risks causing division and undermining the stability of the league,” he said.

As such, Mohd Yusoff stressed that any effort to improve national football must be carried out professionally through proper channels, rather than through open statements that may raise more questions than solutions.

Recently, Johan called for serious discussions to be held, including the possibility of organising a roundtable session involving all stakeholders of the M-League, particularly in light of the increasingly worrying financial situation among most teams.

Johor Darul Ta'zim, Negeri Sembilan FC, Terengganu FC, Penang FC and Sabah FC are among the clubs that support the proposal to hold the roundtable session.

Among the recurring issues affecting the M-League are delays in the payment of salaries to players and team officials by several clubs, as well as the challenge of rising operational costs, further exacerbated by the impact of ongoing tensions in West Asia.

-- BERNAMA