Kelantan ready to pay up
KELANTAN, one of five M-League teams facing points deduction for salary arrears, insist they will settle all outstanding dues once funding from sponsors come through.
Most of Kelantan’s payment problems relate to arrears for last year’s squad, including Australian defender Jonathan McKain, who has lodged a complaint with Fifa after ending a two-year spell with the Super League side last November.
Fellow Super League side Kuala Terengganu T-Team are in a similar predicament while Premier League teams Armed Forces, Police and Perlis are also facing sanction from Football Malaysia LLP (FMLLP).
FMLLP chief executive Kevin Ramalingam said on Thursday that the five teams will be notified of the points deduction soon with a statement to be issued on Wednesday.
But Kelantan FA acting president Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah said while there are outstanding dues, they were working on resolving it.
“There are no problems paying the salaries of this year's squad and most of the arrears relate to payment to last year's squad," he told Timesport yesterday.
“We are making an effort to settle the issue as soon as possible.”
Following Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim’s election as FA of Malaysia president, he vowed that stern action will be taken against teams with salary arrears, claiming that complaints to Fifa by foreign players and coaches employed in Malaysia have reached alarming levels.
Besides McKain, former Forces players Abdulafees Abdulsalam, Mario Karlovic, Jerry Palacios and Obinna Nwaneri have also lodged complaints with Fifa against their ex-team.
“Great news and direction from TMJ (Tunku Ismail). No excuses now not to pay. Want to move on. Enough is enough,” McKain, who claimed he has not heard from Kelantan for five months, posted on Twitter in reaction to the new FAM president’s firm stance against late payment of salaries.
“Finally organisations are being held accountable. Would love to settle my case without wasting time and money at Fifa. Great leadership from TMJ.”
Kelantan FA adviser Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who is also at the head of consortium sponsoring their Super League team, lashed out at FMLLP at the threat of a points deduction.
“We spent over RM15 million at a chance to earn prize money of just RM2 million,” he claimed in a Facebook post. “Tickets cost RM10 to RM16... where is the income? Deducting points is more of a threat and punishment rather than any kind of help.
“We would be better off not competing if their attitude is to punish and not to rectify the situation and investigating the true cause.
“Nobody wants to be in debt or not pay salaries. There's a major factor which will impact other teams if the real cause is not resolved.” Devinder Singh