Malaysia’s sports minister has called for the
country’s soccer clubs to be managed by parties with genuine financial and
managerial skills to boost investments in the domestic league and safeguard
player welfare, state media reported on Tuesday.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the failure of some domestic clubs
to manage fundamental responsibilities, such as paying salaries, has likely
undermined efforts to attract and retain sponsors to support Malaysia’s
football development, state news agency Bernama reported.
“Football has a large audience, which is why I believe that to convince
sponsors, all they want to see is how a club is run, how they pay salaries or
look after the welfare of players,” Yeoh was quoted as saying.
“I urge that those who are not capable should not touch it, let others take
over. Sometimes, there are those who cannot manage but still want to hold on to
power, preventing others from stepping in.”
Malaysian soccer has suffered financial hardships in recent years, leading to
some clubs being penalised, relegated or withdrawing from the league. The
Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia has said many professional
clubs struggle to pay salaries on time.
Last month, Yeoh urged Malaysian soccer authorities to undertake a sweeping
overhaul of the sport’s ecosystem, and emphasised that comprehensive solutions
rather than piecemeal fixes were required to address problems.
Yeoh said the governing body of the Malaysian Football League must hold
discussions with stakeholders to ensure a more structured and sustainable
league moving forward.
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