PETALING JAYA, June 28 – The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, has slammed the Malaysian Football League (MFL) for taking the decision to reduce penalties and punishment meted on Selangor FC after the club had opted to withdraw from the Charity Shield match, last month.
Taking to his Facdebook account, Thursday night, Tunku Ismail slammed MFL stating that its decision to reduce the penalties on Selangor FC sets a bad precedent.
“After today, any club that does not pay salaries on time, or pulls out at their whims and fancy, or breaks any regulation, just needs to ask their state’s Sultan to write a letter expressing anger.
“Teams from every state that have done something wrong can all now ask MFL to withdraw their decision by seeking the good will of their respective Tuanku Sultan to issue a letter.
“After this other Tuanku Sultans will also ask, why Selangor can get their punishment reduced but our state can’t ?” Tunku Ismail stated.
Tunku Ismail further pointed out that his club, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) football club, have been fined thousands of ringgit since 2013, adding that he was once banned from all footballing activities for six months.
“But Tuanku Sultan Johor (Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar) never issued a letter nor made a statement.”
Highlighting that MFL made a u-turn on its decision without receiving an appeal letter from Selangor FC, Tunku Ismail sarcastically remarked that those who have been attacking MFL online endlessly should now start praising them.
Yesterday, the (MFL) board of directors reconsidered its June 24 decision regarding Selangor FC’s absence from the Charity Shield match against JDT on May 10.
“This reconsideration was done as a sign of love and respect for His Majesty the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah,“ it said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The revised decision includes a reduction of the fine from RM100,000 to RM60,000.
However, the compensation payments to JDT and MFL will be maintained, with costs to be reviewed by Selangor FC.
The three-point deduction in the 2024-2025 Super League has been cancelled, while the spectator ban for the Super League match between Selangor FC and JDT at Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium has been lifted.
MFL warned that repeated offences could lead to “stricter and harsher punishment” and Selangor FC has three days from June 27 to appeal the decision.
This revision follows criticism by Sultan Sharafuddin, who described the original penalties as “excessive and unreasonable.”
His Royal Highness also expressed disappointment with Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Amin for not speaking out on behalf of Selangor FC, despite his previous role as the state football association’s secretary-general.
