Awang Kadin Appointed Acting SAFA President Until Year-end

KOTA KINABALU, March 13 (Bernama) -- Sabah Football Association (SAFA) deputy president Datuk Awang Kadin Tang has been appointed acting president until the end of this year.

SAFA secretary-general Shamsuddin Mohd Shah said the appointment was unanimously decided at an SAFA Executive Committee meeting following the resignation of president Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, which took effect on Jan 1.

“For the remainder of this year, there will be no new election, as holding one now would require SAFA to convene two annual general meetings (AGM). Therefore, we have decided to hold the election at the end of the year,” he said in a statement here today.

Shamsuddin said that at the AGM, SAFA will dissolve the current Supreme Council line-up before appointing new officer bearers, including the president.

Meanwhile, Sabah FC manager Muhd Arziz Afizy Rumsani described the team’s achievement of reaching two finals in a single season as a positive development reflecting its improved performance.

He said progressing to the finals of the FA Cup and the 2025-2026 MFL Challenge Cup shows Sabah FC’s ability to compete at the highest level despite facing various challenges in the past.

“This achievement provides a major boost for the team, as Sabah FC has not lifted a major trophy for quite some time,” he said.

He noted that Sabah FC last won the FA Cup in 1995 before returning to success by clinching the Premier League title in 2019.

Arziz also expressed confidence in the current squad’s ability to face the remaining Super League fixtures while maintaining full focus on progressing further in the 2025-2026 MFL Challenge Cup.

He said the team’s immediate target is to improve its position in the remaining Super League matches while ensuring Sabah FC delivers its best performance in the upcoming finals.

-- BERNAMA