KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Aug – The latest developments leave a big question mark on Kelantan football and the once powerhouse of the game in the country is not getting any mercy from the powers in the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
The national football governing body handed Kelantan a three-point deduction from the league which sent the Red Warriors plunging to 10th position in the 12-team Premier League with only one point for failing to settle their third installment of salary arrears.
Kelantan missed paying their third installment that was due on July 30 and the FAM has come down hard on the Red Warriors who paid the first two installments on January 31 and February 27.
In another development, the FAM club licensing First Instance Body (FIB) also took a hard stand that Kelantan will have to settle their outstanding salary arrears of players and team officials by August 31 to compete in next year’s M-League.
If the Red warriors fail to do that, it will not get the license to compete in next year’s M-League as it continues to grapple with financial issues apart from players abandoning the team due to non-payment of salaries running into five months.
Korean import Kang Seun-jo (pic) has already left the team to join Gyeongnam FC in the Korean League.
On the local front two defenders, Wan Afiq Kasbi and Afiq Azwan have also thrown in their quit letters over the non-payment of salaries. It could be the demise of the East Coast state on the local football front.
If there is any consolation Kelantan has a game in hand when the league resumes on Aug 26.
The least Kelantan can do now is to submit a settlement plan which is agreeable by the players and officials.
The same goes for arrears with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) plus Social Security Organisation (Socso).
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