KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Football Association (SAFA) has named Firdaus Akbar Khan, the information chief of Sabah Bersatu, as the Sabah Football Club’s (Sabah FC) new Chief Executive Officer.
Firdaus replaces businessman Verdon Bahanda who held the position for only five weeks.
His appointment was announced by SAFA acting president Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin today after he chaired the state football body meeting.
“We have also decided to appoint Marzuki Nasir as the Sabah FC’s team manager, while Syuaib Nasir as the manager for the under-22 team and Khairul Niezam Moktar as the Under-19 team manager,” he said.
Bung also announced the creation of several committees in SAFA to oversee the running of the body, adding the committees include integrity and investment committees.
Citing transparency will be the way SAFA is managed under him, Bung said efforts to reduce the state football reliance on state funds and donations would begin with him.
“It is time for SAFA to be seen self-sufficient and independent,” said Bung, adding however that running a football club requires a huge amount of funds.
He said the cost to run Sabah FC is around RM8.8 million, the third-lowest in the country, compared to other big football clubs in Malaysia.
SAFA would also hold a launching event on February 14, where the naming of the players and the club’s new jersey would be released, adding that the association’s Annual General Meeting to appoint the 2021 -2023 committee members would be held on February 27.
Bung said SAFA also plans to reboot the running of the state football affairs, eliminating the 27 district football body chairmen to a zoning system, with seven to eight zones would be established statewide. - The Vibes, January 4, 2020.
