LET me be honest. The last time I purchased a ticket to watch a football match in a stadium was in 1999. It was the Malaysia Cup final between Sarawak and Brunei at Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
Needless to say, I went to watch the game because my homeland, Sarawak, was featured in the final. The match was also a first in Malaysia Cup history in that two Borneo territories were in the Cup final for the first time.
Brunei won the match 2-1 that night. My friends from Kuching and I left the stadium, very disappointed but also satisfied that it was a fair and balanced game and the better team had won. Sarawak was never in a Malaysia Cup final ever again and we have never won the Cup.
That was 26 years ago. Well, it’s also not wrong to suggest that I have done nothing to support Malaysian football for the past 26 years. Probably I should have if I wish to consider myself a patriotic Malaysian, ever ready to support our national team even in their worst of times.
But the thing is, I have lost interest in Malaysian football. There is nothing to attract me anymore although football remains a favourite sport of mine.
Gone are the days when those of my age could remember the names of our football greats like Soh Chin Aun, Mokhtar Dahari, R Arumugam, Santokh Singh, James Wong, Hasan Sani, Chow Chee Keong, Isa Bakar, Khalid Ali etc. We were so proud of them and their exploits on the field. Malaysia then was among the most respected football nations in Asia.
Today, I do not even know our standing in Asian football and I guess there is nothing to be proud of. Other Southeast Asian countries, like the Philippines and Vietnam, once football minnows, are now ahead of Malaysia if I’m not mistaken.
Hey, I’m still a Malaysian sport patriot even if I have not supported Malaysian football for years. I have been backing our Malaysian badminton team for decades and still do today.
I have not missed tournaments featuring our shuttlers at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium at Cheras in years gone by and now at the Axiata Arena (formerly Putra Stadium), at Bukit Jalil. The annual Malaysian Open and Malaysian Masters were events I wouldn’t want to miss.
My subject on Malaysian football this week was prompted by a clarion call from Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh for a sweeping reform of the country’s football ecosystem, with a strong focus on resolving the issue of unpaid player salaries.
She spoke to the media last week about the need for a long-term, structural solution to the challenges plaguing Malaysian football, rather than temporary fixes.
“The issues in our football scene require more than just reactive measures. It’s time we look at the bigger picture and work together to rebuild a healthier and more sustainable football environment,” said the sports minister.
Hannah’s remarks follow growing frustration among players and coaches over unpaid wages.
It was also revealed that Kelantan United interim coach Rezal Zambery Yahya has publicly urged the club to resolve salary arrears that have gone unpaid for up to six months.
The salary crisis has also impacted foreign talent.
Serbian striker Milos Gordic of Kedah told the media he is returning home after nine months without pay.
Sarawak also has had its fair share of salary arrears issues in the past. Of late, I’ve not read anything about the matter and I hope that such difficult episodes have been amicably and professionally resolved.
All players donning national or state colours, including those from Sarawak, deserve better. First and foremost, their salaries must be paid on time. They are professional players taking part in a professional league in the country.
The malaise in Malaysian football is not something that is recent. Our football woes are a long-standing issue, and the current mess — particularly around unpaid salaries for national and state players — is just the tip of the iceberg.
Our problems, both structural and cultural, run deep. The top issue is financial mismanagement and surely, that is hardly surprising.
One of the most glaring issues is chronic financial mismanagement at club and state FA levels.
Many clubs are run like semi-private fiefdoms, often tied to political or royal figures, without proper financial planning or sustainable revenue models. They overspend on salaries and foreign players without ensuring adequate income streams.
When sponsors pull out or revenues dip, the players suffer — often going unpaid for months.
Then, there is the dependency on government or political patronage instead of functioning as professional business entities. This makes the states or clubs vulnerable to political changes.
It is unfortunate that despite efforts to privatise and professionalise the Malaysian league under the Malaysia Football League (MFL), many clubs still lack professional management practices. There’s poor governance, a lack of transparency in spending and no real accountability.
While Malaysia has made progress, its football scene is still haunted by the legacy of match-fixing scandals from the 1990s, which eroded trust and integrity in the sport. That shadow still looms and affects the image of the game, deterring serious investment and long-term support.
There are good reasons why the salary arrears of players are a never-ending issue. There’s a lack of a strong, independent players’ union to advocate for wages, working conditions and dispute resolution. This leaves players vulnerable and often voiceless when contracts are breached.
Malaysian football still has passionate fans and raw talent. However, until the systemic issues are addressed head-on — especially governance and financial accountability — it will continue to be stuck in a cycle of promise and disappointment.
I hope that Hannah Yeoh, always the one with ‘problem-solving’ plans and ideas, will be able to change the face of Malaysian football into a more competitive, dynamic and internationally respected force. Indeed, may the force be with you, Hannah!
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
