Positive changes to Sabah football – Peter
Sabah Football Association (Safa) have pledged to bring about positive changes to Sabah football starting next year.
Datuk Peter Anthony made the remark after he received unanimous backing to lead the state football body as president during the annual Safa Congress here yesterday.
Datuk Juil Nuatim was also added to the main Safa committee for 2019-2022 term after he was made one of the two deputy presidents unopposed. The other existing deputy president is Datuk Rahman Zakaria.
Sabah football legend Datuk James Wong and Henry Saimpon also made the list without contesting and the duo would form the four-man vice presidents with Benedict Asmat and Ismail Hj. Ayub.
The existing committee members are Andrew Majanggim (secretary general), Andrew Laban (assistant secretary general) and Yap Wai Loon (honorary treasurer).
There were, however, contests for the Supreme Council posts where nine candidates were eyeing the three available spots.
After voting, Marassun Hassim, Salleh Abdul Ghapur Salleh, Mustapha Tuah received the highest votes to complete the nine-man Supreme Council with Shamsudin Mohd Shah, Jimson Majemal, Othman Abdullah, Jackson Taguah and Fadli Juanas.
Peter, when met after the Safa Congress, believed Safa comprising ex-players and professionals and with combined efforts from its affiliates would be able to bring Sabah football to greater heights.
In fact, such efforts had already been taken for Sabah football to move in the right direction since he (Peter) was made acting president of the State FA, he said.
“The Safa Congress today (yesterday) where several vacant posts were also filled is another positive step for us to move in the right direction towards the betterment of Sabah football.
“We will not stop here but will continue working hard to make improvement in order for Sabah football to return to its glory years,” he said.
Peter, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure Development, went on to say that the efforts would also focus on the State team participating in the Malaysian League as well as Sabah football as a whole.
“The grant Safa receive from the FAM (Football Association of Malaysia) or MFL (Malaysian Football League) too will be utilised for football development at grassroots level.
“We want to have tournaments in every district or division...all these need to be to planned or organised systematically,” he said.
According to him, the grasstroots development which aimed at nurturing footballers from the age of seven too would be given priority.
“The same goes for the development of referees. We don’t want to focus only on our footballers but other areas of the sport such referees (or coaches) which is equally important if we want to be successful in football,” he said.
Having said that, Peter also revealed that Safa would apply for extra land from the State Government to add more facilities at the current Safa headquarters in Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex in Likas.
He hoped to add a hostel and extra field for training for the state teams at the site, which he believed would smoothen whatever programmes Safa would organise in the future.
Towards this end, Peter also expressed his plan to organise the Borneo Cup.
“The tournament would be contested by teams from Kalimantan, Indonesia as well as Sarawak, Labuan and Brunei and of course Sabah.
“I believe the tournament would further enhance football with the participation of teams, including Sabah...it will benefit all,” he concluded.