KUCHING: Newly appointed Sarawak Football Association (FAS) President, Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, has unveiled an ambitious blueprint to revive football in the state, beginning with a grassroots-first approach.
Fazzrudin announced plans to introduce the Sarawak Premier League, a state-level competition with a home-and-away format involving teams from every division.
“Our main objective, or rather my main objective, is to bring football back to the grassroots. We want to reignite the passion for football in every part of Sarawak,” he said.
Under the proposed league structure, each division will be represented by its own team, with fixtures rotating between home grounds to create excitement and boost local support.
“If Sibu plays Sri Aman, one match will be hosted in Sri Aman and the return leg in Sibu.
“This way, fans in both areas can experience the pride of supporting their local teams in real competition,”he explained.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Fazzrudin said he is realistic about the league’s early stages.
“We can’t expect a perfect league from day one. But we have to start somewhere and we’ll improve it year by year,” he added.
To raise the overall quality of the league, he identified several key focus areas, beginning with coaching and refereeing development.
“Teams can only improve if they’re guided by qualified coaches. That’s why we will continue and expand on the previous Exco’s coaching development initiatives.
“So we will continue developing our referee training programmes as well,” he told reporters following his unchallenged election today.
Another major component of the plan is infrastructure.
While fields exist in many divisions, Fazzrudin noted that access and affordability remain major hurdles.
“Local football associations often need to rent these fields, which may already be booked by schools or other events.
“Sometimes the rental costs are simply too high for long-term use. We must address this if we want our league to thrive,” he said.
Fazzrudin believes that with steady improvements, the league can become a platform for nurturing Sarawak-born talent capable of playing in national and regional leagues.
“That’s the dream – to see our players getting picked up by Malaysian or even Indonesian teams. It’s not impossible (dream), but it requires clear planning and structured execution,” he stressed.
Looking ahead, he remains optimistic that with determination, teamwork and God’s will, the new leadership can realise this vision and restore Sarawak football to its former glory.
