M-League: Hold finance officials accountable for unpaid salaries, ban them, says Dr Faithal
ARNAZ M. KHAIRUL27 Jan 2023 02:08pm
Universiti Malaya Faculty of Sports & Exercise Science deputy dean Professor Dr Mohd Faithal Hassan
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Having officials responsible for the administration and finances of clubs licenced and facing bans from football for their part in financial mismanagement leading to unpaid salaries of players at their clubs, could be way for the stakeholders to hold such officils accountable and protect the sport from continuously being tarnished by such scandals.
In congratulating the Malaysian Football League (MFL) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on the synergy in scheduling the new M-League season in line with national team preparations, UM Faculty of Sports & Exercise Science deputy dean Professor Dr Mohd Faithal Hassan expressed his disappointment that both bodies seem to have not intensified preventive measures or policies to curb rampant financial mismanagement among M-League teams.
"The new M-League season will kick off in about a month and the MFL chief executive officer Stuart Ramalingam CEO has made a special press conference to announce on the new format of the league and how the fixtures look like for the season. As an FAM-linked private company MFL's main business is to make sure that football leagues, namely the Super League and Premier League are in order and in line with Malaysian football's transformation plan," said Dr Faithal.
"Having said that, the only lacking transformation in Malaysian football is professionalism, mainly how salaries are paid to the professional players. The never-ending issue of unpaid salaries of professional players within the M-League clubs should also be a top priority for MHL and FAM to address.
Dr Faithal said, as were many football fans and players alike, he had expected Stuart's anouncement of the league schedule yesterday to include solutions or preventive measures for persistent issues surrounding football, especially that of unpaid players' salaries.
"Instead, the issue which we have faced every season was not even mentioned, as if the issue doesn't exist. In 2022, unpaid salary issues surfaced at four clubs," said Dr Faithal, calling for the issue to be highlighted and addressed.
Currently, even as the new season approaches, Sarawak United players are left battling to obtain months of unpaid salaries.
In an exclusive interview with Sinar Daily last week, Perak FC chief executive officer Bobie Farid Shamsudin highlighted the fact that financial mismanagement was rampant among M-League teams, mainly because teams had previously relied on state governments to bankroll them and settle any financial issues that may arise, leding to haphazard management of finances.
He also said that the root of the problem was that many teams were in a race to hire top players and established foreign professionals without securing the funds to cover the related costs, but instead gambled on big name signings being able to pull sponsorship, boost gate collections and merchandise sales, which often did not materialise, leading to teams being saddled with huge gaps to fill in their finances.
Bobie also called for the matter to be taken seriously as players being left unpaid could open the door to match-fixers to be active.
"MFL must make the extra effort to solve this problem. Some clubs have been referred to and fined by FIFA in the past and it is not the good transformation that Malaysian football was expecting. MFL and it’s master, FAM, must take stern action to the clubs that have failed to settle the player’s salaries," said Dr Faithal.
While players have been left to suffer, the clubs often have been punished by points deductions and non-renewal of licences, but the fact remains the personalities responsible for financial mismanagement have usually gotten away scot free.
Dr Faithal suggests it is time for the MFL and FAM to licence all club officials, including those responsible administration and finances, in order for them to be held accountable for their duties via sanctioning.
"MFL must come out with a new formula to stop this persistent problem. The club and the officials involved in the financial mismanagement that led to unpaid salaries must fully shoulder the responsibility and be accountable for it. If the Super League coaches are required to obtain a Pro-Licence to coach, MFL/FAM should impose similar licencing to these club officials," said Dr Faithal.
"Should the clubs or the finance officials be involved in any financial mismanagement that led to unpaid salaries, their license will be revoked and suspended from any involvement in football for a certain period of time. MFL must introduce accountability as part of the transformation. Otherwise, this talk of football transformation is just a fake expression," he said.
