PAST GRUDGES
FAS want to focus on development
REPORTS BY DEVINDER SINGH devinder@nst.com.my
THE FA of Selangor (FAS) have urged the state government to let go of past grudges and help propel football in the state to a higher level.
With Selangor currently fourth in the Super League and on course for the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals, FAS president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said the team have done well on a budget of RM15 million, much less than their competitors.
But not all of the budget has been secured with a little more than half the season gone, leading to Subahan to ask the state government to provide funding of RM5 million.
“Our budget for this year is RM15 million, much less than the RM23 million which the government provided last year,” said Subahan in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
“We are only requesting RM5 million from the government. We may not win many cups and I said earlier that our target was not to be relegated. But we should do pretty decent this year.
“We are going strong, so we feel it is our right to ask the state to support us. It’s not fair to the players who play their hearts out for the team. Let’s not think of personal agendas or keep grudges.”
Subahan was elected FAS president in February after Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali relinquished the position last year.
A feud developed between the two personalities leading to the state government to ignore the request by FAS for funding.
FAS have also not been allowed use of the Shah Alam Stadium, and are restricted to one field at the State Secretariat training ground and involved in an ownership tussle with the government over a training facility in Puncak Alam.
Subahan agreed that this has provided FAS the opportunity to become one of the few associations to operate independently of government funding, though he still held out hope for some assistance.
“In one or two years we should be self-funded and get corporations to become sponsors,” he said.
“We are moving in that direction but we hope that the government can give a token contribution. To go from RM23 million to zero support is rather drastic although we have managed to sustain ourselves for seven months already.”
Selangor face Kedah in Alor Star tomorrow in a Super League match before hosting Darul Ta’zim in the Malaysia Cup in Selayang on Tuesday.
“I know Selangor fans will come out strongly for the match against Darul Ta’zim and if we could play in Shah Alam. more of them can watch the game,” said Subahan.
“The Shah Alam Stadium was built for the state team yet we are not able to use it. We hope to play there again and I hope it can be reconsidered and the goverment will relent and be rational.”