M-League teams should emulate JDT’s sacrifice – FAM
KUALA LUMPUR: The players, coaches and staff of Johor Darul Takzim (JDT)team, have not only agreed to a 33 per cent salary cut, they have in fact pledged to donate part of their earnings to the Johor State Disaster Fund.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) secretarygeneral, Stuart Ramalingam in a statement issued by FAM said the sacrifice shown by the players and officers of JDT should be emulated by other teams in M-League.
JDT announced the measure was taken on Sunday in the team’s official Facebook.
They understand the current situation and the need to lighten the burden of the club after the M-League competition was postponed since March 16 due to Covid-19 outbreak apart from helping others affected by the pandemic.
“What has been shown by JDT is the best management model of a club in handling the problem which is a currently a global issue and appreciation should be attributed to the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Duli Yang Amat Mulia Major General Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, on this positive effort and the way he manages the club on the overall,” said Stuart.
He hoped other M-League teams would hold frank discussions and achieve a consensus on salary payment during this difficult time to protect the interest of football in the country.
MEANWHILE, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) lauded the entire JDT team for agreeing to a 33 per cent pay cut to assist the team face a difficult time in the country’s football industry.
MFL chief executive officer Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan in a statement issued by MFL yesterday said the approach of JDT in holding discussion with players, coaches and other personnel succeeded in getting a consensus to help the financial position of the team.
“The spirit of ‘Fair Play’ is embedded in the salary reduction move which is seen as an austerity measure to help JDT team weather through the Covid-19 outbreak when the M-League was postponed since March 16.
“We at MFL welcome the approach as it is in line with the call of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)for Malaysian football stakeholders to find a way in addressing the financial problem of clubs due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Meanwhile, he also commended JDT’s initiative in channeling part of their individual incomes to the Johor State Disaster Fund to help the state government lighten the burden of the people following the spread of the disease in the state. -