Minister Calls for Revamp of Malaysian Football to Address Salary Crisis

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh urges comprehensive reforms in Malaysian football, focusing on unpaid salaries. Yeoh seeks external expertise to work with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for a sustainable ecosystem. The crisis impacts local and foreign players, with calls for management transparency.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Malaysia's football ecosystem, emphasizing the need to address the pervasive issue of unpaid player salaries. Yeoh urged for a shift from reactive approaches to more holistic solutions, seeking external expertise to tackle the challenges faced by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

In her statements to local media, Yeoh disclosed that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted an assessment, and discussions with FAM will follow to explore potential improvements. She stressed the importance of viewing the problem holistically, aiming for progress not only at the national level but within individual clubs as well. The FAM has yet to respond to inquiries from Reuters regarding these developments.

The crisis has also ignited discontent among players, with Rezal Zambery Yahya, interim coach for Kelantan United, urging club management to resolve salary arrears of up to six months. The situation is further compounded for foreign players, as exemplified by Kedah's Serbian striker Milos Gordic, who plans to return home unpaid after enduring months without a salary.

(With inputs from agencies.)