KUALA LUMPUR – Is the government washing its hands of the Malaysian Football League (MFL)? Should one blame the government if it decides to not throw a lifeline to the event that has become another casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic?
With a possibility of sponsors shying away due to a reassessment of financial commitments, it is granted that sports associations will be looking at the government for a handout or even a bailout.
Would it be right to expect the government to rescue football once again when, in the past, its very interference masked as financial support has been blamed for the slow death of the beautiful game?
As a pragmatic step to curb the spread of the virus, the 2020 TM Malaysia Cup had to be postponed.
This move was seen as “unfair”; one that deprives local football supporters of their beloved sport when other nations have chosen to continue with their respective leagues.
Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was on the receiving end of the wrath of fans on social media for the decision to can the tournament.
However, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican had given his assurance that his ministry is currently working on a sports bubble model that will be submitted to the National Security Council (NSC) in an effort to enable football matches to be held in the country.
In the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Reezal said they would collaborate with the NSC and stakeholders to polish the plan in order to continue the sports activities, which had been cancelled due to the crisis, especially football, which has a huge market as every match is watched by almost eight million spectators.
This is a great effort taken by the minister to make sure ardent football enthusiasts will still have the joy to watch and support their respective teams’ next season.
As Reezal tries to make things right, is it right to blame the government entirely for such a catastrophe – cancellation of the Malaysia Cup?
When The Vibes contacted a source close to the football fraternity, it was revealed that the MFL leadership team should share the responsibility for this unfortunate misstep by not being able to successfully convince the government to allow the Malaysia Cup to continue.
The source added that with all that has transpired in the last few weeks, trust in leadership within the organisation has taken a turn for the worse.
“We all know that the leadership has close ties with the government, then why were they unable to convince them to run the tournament? We must all remember that this is the first time the Malaysia Cup has been cancelled since World War II and this does not reflect well on MFL’s leadership,” said the source.
“There is no direction, and with speculation that sponsors may pull out and slash their budget for the next season, which is scheduled to start in February, it is alarming to say the least. It is believed that some in the organisation may not be agreeable with current leadership,” The Vibes was told.
Meanwhile, with all the challenges faced by MFL, another pertinent question needs to be asked; one that points to the validity of MFL’s ambitious Next50 blueprint to define the Malaysian professional football industry until 2070.
“This blueprint is supposed to kick into full gear next year but with all that has been going on of late, coupled with the uncertainty of 2021, what will be MFL’s plan of action to face these imminent challenges? People can understand that the pandemic is unprecedented – in that it has caused such turmoil – but MFL needs to come up with a back-up plan.
“Is the MFL’s leadership team truly aligned with the Next50 plan? That would be the million-dollar question, considering the current situation,” said the well-informed source on the matter.
With all these issues taking place, what will be the fate of Malaysian football and its loyal supporters? – The Vibes, November 26, 2020
