It seems that the misery gone through by Malaysia's footballing fraternity and its fans this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic will at last come to the end.
After a Malaysian Football League (MFL) board meeting that was held in Putrajaya on Wednesday, December 16, chairman Datuk Wira Hamidin Amin made several confident assertions regarding the Malaysian competitions for the coming year.
Hamidin, who is also the Malaysian FA (FAM) president, told the press that he will persuade the government to allow professional competitions to take place. This season, the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup were cancelled, while the Super League and Premier League were held in a truncated, half-season format.
"MFL and I have been working closely with MKN (Malaysian National Security Council) and the sports ministry to ensure that the league can be contested [in 2021]. Things are looking positive and I believe MKN will make an announcement.
"Clubs have been strict with the precautionary SOPs and we will follow any SOPs issued by MKN. I have insisted in meetings with the health ministry that football needs to continue to be played under the new norms.
"It's not just about [financial] losses; you can see that commuters can still take trains and busses... We want to be treated equally. If the government continues prohibiting us from operating, we will be forced to close shop," responded Hamidin to a question by Goal.
Malaysian Football League
Hamidin Amin. Photo by MFL
Even better, the league organiser is also looking to convince the government to allow a small percentage of supporters to attend professional matches.
"Our affiliates have proposed the motion to convince MKN and the health ministry to allow a small number of fans to attend matches in 2021. 10 per cent [of the stadium capacity] is the figure we're looking for.
"The fans need to be there to make the league attractive, as well as to lure sponsorships. We'll start small before gradually increasing the size [of attendance]," he noted.
More assuringly, Hamidin has insisted that non-professional competitions will resume once again; such as the M3 third tier and youth leagues. These were all suspended this season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"They will all be held. By the end of this week we'll issue an announcement on the President's Cup (U-21), Youth Cup (U-19) and M3. We need to finalise the SOPs because these matches will be played at open-ground venues.
"The secretary-general will issue a letter on MPFL (professional futsal league), President's Cup, Youth Cup and M3. The formats will be different of course, due to the venues. We may even get the word out as soon as tomorrow," added Hamidin.
More importantly, the FAM president also revealed the national team's coming activity, in that they will return to training next month.
"Tan (Malaysia head coach Tan Cheng Hoe) is currently looking at his options, but God willing, it [centralised training] is going to be from 15 to 26 January in preparation for the next FIFA international calendar.
"We will be playing home and away normally [in the World Cup Asian qualifiers], but with a special dispensation. The team will be flying off on March 23 [for UAE clash] and will fly home on the 27th. Considering that the quarantine period [for travellers from outside of Malaysia] has been shortened to 10 days, we are hoping for a special permit from MKN and the health ministry, and to also allow as many fans into the stadium as possible for our crucial home match against Vietnam [on March 30]," he explained.
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