The off-pitch drama in Malaysian football continues as Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah voices his disappointment over the punishment handed to Selangor FC by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) following the team’s decision not to play in the curtain raiser of the Super League season last month.
The Selangor Sultan also slammed the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), especially its president Datuk Hamidin Amin, for keeping mum over the matter.
Sultan Sharafuddin, in his latest statement this afternoon, added that if it were up to him, he would ask Selangor FC to pull out of the Super League.
On June 25, Selangor FC was slapped with an RM100,000 fine, a three-point deduction, ordered to play the return leg against Johor Darul Ta’zim behind closed doors and to compensate the Southern Tigers and MFL after withdrawing from the season-opening match on May 10. The game doubled up as the Charity Shield.
“I am extremely disappointed with the decision by MFL and with FAM officials, especially its president Hamidin Amin. I am shocked and disappointed, as Hamidin is not serious in voicing out (regarding the matter), when in fact, he was a former FA Selangor secretary-general from 1995-2013, has experience in the Selangor football scene, and received his Dato’ Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (DSIS) award from me,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.
“I am angry with the latest decision by MFL which I find to be irresponsible, carried out without empathy, and humanity over the cruelty that has taken place.”
He was responding to the incident involving Selangor FC player Faisal Halim, who was splashed with acid after exiting a shopping mall in Kota Damansara on May 5. The incident rocked the nation and grabbed headlines worldwide. The motive of the attack remains unknown, with the perpetrator still at large, fuelling wild speculations.
The Red Giants had requested to postpone the match against the Johor team following the incident.
Sultan Sharafuddin said the penalties handed to Selangor FC “didn’t make sense” and “was absurd”, adding that a victory was already handed to the opposing team.
Sultan Sharafuddin, who has been involved in football since 1968, said he had never witnessed such an incident previously, as sports was a platform to unite people, but is now tainted with violence.
“What happened will not only tarnish the quality of football in this country, but can kill the spirit and direction of the Selangor FC team.
“I am now only the team’s patron. If I were the leader of FAS (Football Association of Selangor) or Selangor FC, I would not hesitate to withdraw the team from the Super League for a certain period,” he said.
Sultan Sharafuddin ended his message by reminding MFL to make decisions wisely.
This is the second statement from Sultan Sharafuddin after he slammed MFL on May 9 for rejecting Selangor FC’s request to postpone the Charity Shield match.
Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Amirudin Shari, in a statement this evening, said the state government will help raise funds to pay the fine imposed by MFL. Amirudin and his exco will also contribute to the funds.
Earlier today, MFL chief executive officer Datuk Stuart Ramalingam said Selangor FC had the right to appeal against the decision, and if the club was unhappy with the outcome, it could take the case to a civil court, or the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“But that can only occur after Selangor FC exhausts all avenues of appeal. Those are the rules set by Fifa,” said Stuart.
Meanwhile, Selangor FA deputy president Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar has resigned as FAM vice-president and Malaysia’s Under-23 manager with immediate effect.
