Amicable solution: AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor John Paul hopes the parties involved can sit down and sort things out.
PETALING JAYA: A step in the right direction, and one that’s needed to clear the air.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor John Paul said it was good that Football Associa tion of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin has requested an audience with the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and it has been granted by the state ruler.
“This is a good start to settle this matter,” he said.
“It is always good when relevant parties involved sit down and sort things out. Instability never helps in football development.
“We hope that after this, the relevant parties will see what needs to be done and what should not be done. We need to clear the air over this because football must unite people.
“One also has to note that football is the national sport in Malaysia. I also hope Datuk Hamidin will meet the regent of (Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim) because everything is out in the media. Explanations must be given.”
The audience with Sultan Sharafuddin was requested after the ruler voiced his “shock and disappointment” at Hamidin for not speaking out over the punishments meted out to Selangor after they decided to pull out from the Charity Shield game against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) on May 10, even though he was once Selangor FA’s secretary-general.
Selangor had requested a postponement of the match after their player Faisal Halim suffered grievous injuries in an acid attack on May 5.
When the MFL refused to grant the postponement, Selangor withdrew from the game for security reasons.
Sultan Sharafuddin said the punishments of a RM100,000 fine, along with compensation to the home team and the MFL for any losses incurred, a three-point deduction and playing a match in an empty stadium were excessive, considering that JDT had already been awarded a win.
In response to that, the MFL decided to reduce the RM100,000 fine to RM60,000.
However, compensation for losses incurred by JDT and MFL due to Selangor’s refusal to play the match has been maintained.
Selangor’s three-point deduction for the 2024-2025 Super League season has also been cancelled, while the ban on spectators for the match against JDT at the Petaling Jaya Stadium has also been lifted.
