Sarawak football needs our support to get through their tough 2020 season

Recently I have expressed by concern over the financial crisis faced by our Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) and the call for its president, Dato Posa Majais to resign from his post. The call was made by both former state players and coaches associations after Dato Posa had suggested that Sarawak could withdraw from the Malaysian League (M-League) next season due to financial constraints.

The Sarawak Former Footballers Association and Sarawak Football Coaches Association – and some of the FAS members were certainly unhappy with the statement and questioned Dato Posa’s capability in solving the long-standing financial problems in the FAS. Howver, I believe the issue could be resolved amiably through talks and urged the concerned parties in the crisis to sit together to find a solution.

I was also saddened when reading it on our local newspapers but we need to give our full support to the association because football is a very popular in Malaysia especially in Sarawak and we have 2 teams playing in the prestigious Malaysian League (MFL). As the state Sports Minister, I will not let football sink and I want FAS to be well governed. Thus, I will hold a meeting with FAS over the matter. 

There is friction among the divisions, from top to bottom in FAS and I don’t want to see conflict among them. We must understand no amount of finger-pointing would not help solve the problem. On another note, there is a need by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to try to understand the financial situation of teams in Sarawak and our neighbour Sabah.Therefore, the national governing body should give bigger allocations to Sarawak and Sabah than that of the other states, otherwise it’s better for us to just play in Borneo.

Our problem is also not unique because there 5 other state teams which are facing disqualification if FAS opted to withdraw from the M-League next season.These teams will include Sarawak United FC (Premier League), Sarawak United II (M3 League), Sarawak United III (President Cup), Sarawak United IV (Youth Cup) and Sarawak United (FAM Futsal League). Kuching FA is another local team which is competing in the Premier League. and the clubside has finished fourth in the national second tier league this season and will kick off their first campaign in the Malaysia Cup against defending champions JDT soon.