KOTA BAHARU: Kelantan Football Association (KAFA) yesterday gave assurance that it would urgently resolve its internal problems to participate in next season’s Malaysia League.  KAFA president Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the association had given assurance to Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to participate in the M-League and resolve its problems, like debts.

“I feel this matter is not a problem for Kelantan which has provided assurance to resolve the arrears matter if that is what will prevent us from competing.

“For the record, Kelantan has paid its debts totalling more than RM1 million in stages,” he told reporters after feting state players who would be playing in the Malaysia Cup final to lunch here yesterday.

Also present was team manager Azman Ibrahim and head coach B. Sathianathan.

On Monday, FAM vice-president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh, after chairing the FAM local competition committee meeting at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, said Kelantan and Perak where among six teams not qualified to compete in the M-League 2010 after being found not adhering to FAM conditions.

Che Mat said the six teams failed to comply with FAM rules like paying players’ salary arrears and Employees Provident Fund contributions up to the last date of October 31.

Meanwhile, at the same function all Kelantan players received RM66,000 as a bonus for qualifying for the final against Negeri Sembilan on Saturday.

Annuar said it was a promise made to the players for advancing the state to this stage.

He gave assurance to take the players to a tour destination of their choice after the final.

Kelantan had before given more than RM100,000 to the players for making it to the quarter-final and semi-final.

He said Kelantan would also take 1,000 young and former Kelantan players to watch the final at Bukit Jalil Stadium.

He said Kelantan fans could also send a SMS to 32728 to state players beginning tomorrow to provide support. — Bernama