Fate of Sarawak FC to be decided by new FAS president

KUCHING: The formation of the club-structured Sarawak FC is still up in the air.

Insiders say the new president of the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) will a big say on whether the proposal materialises or remains just a novelty.

“Basically, it’s his call,” they suggest.

FAS secretary Mohd Maluddin has confirmed creation of the Sarawak FC will rest mainly with the new president after being mandated by the affiliates to decide the future of football in the state.

“The annual general meeting has yet to be fixed but it will be sooner — certainly not two weeks before the season kicks off. By then, it will  be too late to prepare the team,” he said.

According to Mohd, there is still no “official candidate” for the president’s post, considered a “hot seat” shunned by everyone so far. No ‘calon’ (candidate) has stepped forward to date.

But still, the fate of the Sarawak FC would have be decided by the new president after consulting with his new management, he said.

“Right now, the acting president cannot decide and he will leave it to the new president to follow up with the issue, if the latter so wished,” Mohd added.

Meanwhile, Zuraimi Sabki who mooted the Sarawak FC idea, said a club-based structure or entity had many advantages over the “old model” presently adopted by the FAS.

For one, the club would be run like a commercial entity with accountability to shareholders, he explained.

It is understood, the proposal may face resistance from the old guards used to “the glamour” of representing Sarawak football in the M-League.

Some quarters feel the “glamour” side is a non-issue because the Sarawak FC — if it ever takes off — will come under the auspices of the FAS. Only the management will not … which should be a blessing since it will relieve the association of all financial headaches.

Zuraimi has secured a tie-up with English League One Club Hartlepool and if all goes to plan, the Sarawak FC will benefit from this arrangement on and off the field.   He is confident the club concept would spur development programmes for youths in the state.

On May 13, Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Dato Sri William Mawam Ikom reportedly said a full-fledged professional club focusing on winning major trophies for Sarawak would be formed soon to revive the dwindling fortunes of Sarawak football in major tournaments.

He explained under the Sarawak FC formula, the FAS would take on the new role of implementing long-term development programmes with his ministry and the Education Department.

Mawan also said funding as well as the day-to-day operation would be handled by the private sector.  Sarawak are likely to be relegated to the Premier Division next season, according to sources from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

The new season will likely start sometime next month or by September, the latest.

Sarawak played in the Super League for two seasons. They remained in the same division last season even though they finished second last but this season, they were entrenched at the bottom out of 14 teams and a drop looks inevitable.