KUALA LUMPUR – It looks like unpaid arrears still plague Malaysian football, as it is understood that Sarawak United FC (SUFC) have yet to pay owed salaries to its players.
A source familiar with the issue revealed to The Vibes that some players have yet to receive any payments owed to them despite the cash-stripped club repeatedly assuring that it would be resolved by the end of December last year.
The source with close links to the club, who wished to remain anonymous, added that former and current players are still waiting for the SUFC management to settle their salaries and claims that are owed more than a month.
“We are still owed three months’ worth of salaries and claims.
More than once, the club has stated in writing that the outstanding payments would be completed by the end of 2022.”
According to the source, an internal letter dated December 5, 2022, was sent by the Sarawak Football Association president Datuk Posa Majais to the affected players and staff regarding the salary arrears, stating that the management is still awaiting the Special Funds to be deposited into the team account.
In the letter, it was stated that the Special Funds would be in by December 2022 and all arrears will be settled by the end of the year.
“Now, it is already mid-January, and (yet) there are no updates from the club management,” he said.
“The management said that payments will be made in two stages. The first round of payments will be paid latest by or on December 31, 2022.
“The letter also stated that the club management is committed to resolving all delays that have been stated and that they will not run from the responsibility,” the letter said.
The source added that the team have tried to reach out to proper channels to seek help, but the lack of action sees them slowly giving up.
“We have reached out to the Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia (PFAM), and they have done their part,” he said.
In August 2022, PFAM said they had received complaints from several players that the settlement had not been made, forcing some players to be evicted from their residences as the club had not paid the rent.
PFAM also said they had sent out a notice to SUFC on June 14 to claim arrears for the players and also sent a follow-up notice on July 8.
PFAM did what they needed to do, but that was as far as it went. Unfortunately, it did not lead to any great effect,” the source added.
In another letter dated December 21, addressed to Football Association of Malaysia secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman, the club clarified that they are waiting for the special assistance fund from Sarawak premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, which was approved in August.
“Since then, the club’s top management have visited the premier’s office twice to enquire about the funds, but representatives from the premier’s office had asked us to wait, as the transfer of the funds were in the process.
Given the salary arrears, the Malaysian Football League had rejected both SUFC’s and Melaka United FC’s 2023 national club licence, leaving them unable to participate in the 2023 season.
The Vibes is still waiting for a response from Posa over the matter. – The Vibes, January 19, 2023
