SAARANI ADVISES PAFA TO AVOID INTERNAL POLITICS

IPOH, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad urged all sports individuals to avoid and stop politics in associations, and instead give focus to the development of sports in the state.

He said the turmoil and suspension of the Perak Football Association (PAFA) previously should not have happened as it is a community-based sports body and not owned by any individual or private person.

"Sports bodies need to transcend various political backgrounds so that more people participate in developing talents and teams in the state,” he said while speaking at the dinner and launch of the Perak Sejahtera League 2024/2025 here last night.

"If sports associations are politicised, then everything will fall apart, so it needs to transcend politics so that everyone can focus on how to find and nurture new talents."

On March 7, 2022, PAFA was suspended for six months due to the existence of two groups claiming to be the legitimate committee of the over 100-year-old association's governing body.

The state government intervened in the turmoil when Perak Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah held a meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to seek a resolution and consideration according to the PJS (sports commissioner) constitution so that the PAFA would not be dissolved.

In June last year, Yeoh threw a lifeline for the deregistration of the PAFA to be put on hold by establishing a task force to resolve the association's issues in accordance with Subsection 21 (1) of the Sports Development Act 1997.

Meanwhile, Saarani is confident that the PAFA leadership will focus on developing Perak football, which was previously considered one of the giants of Malaysian football.

He also shared his experience in settling part of the debts left by PAFA, including payments to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

Meanwhile, 14 District Football Association (PBD) teams from across the state will compete at four venues to advance to the final round of the Perak Sejahtera League 2024/2025, which will be held at the Mini Bunga Raya Stadium, Lenggong.

The league will play in zones according to nearby districts in an effort to reduce the burden of management and operational costs for teams in four districts namely Pengkalan Hulu (Zone 1), Kerian (Zone 2), Batang Padang (Zone 3) and Bagan Datuk. (Zone 4).

The PBD involved are Gerik, Pengkalan Hulu and Lenggong in Zone 1; Kerian, Larut Matang, and Selama (LMS) and Perak Malay Football Association (Zone 2); Batang Padang, Kampar, Ipoh and Muallim (Zone 3); and Bagan Datuk, Manjung, Hilir Perak and Kampung Gajah (Zone 4.

-- BERNAMA