KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj has voiced his disappointment over the fine imposed on Selangor FC for withdrawing from the Charity Shield.
"I feel very disappointed and deeply saddened by the decisions of members of the Malaysian Football League (MFL) and the Malaysian Football Association (FAM), particularly FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.
"I am surprised and disappointed because Hamidin did not take a serious stance, despite his previous role as the secretary-general of the Selangor Football Association (FAS) from 1995 to 2013 and his experience in the Selangor football arena," Sultan Sharafuddin said in a statement today.
He added that his role as a FAS patron is limited. But if it were up to him, he would not hesitate to take Selangor out of the Super League.
"I now only serve as a Patron in the FAS. However, if I were leading FAS and Selangor FC, I would not hesitate to withdraw the Selangor team from the Super League for a certain period."
In the official Royal Selangor Office statement that the Sultan signed off on, he said he "considers the decision by the MFL irresponsible, made without compassion, inhumane, and lacking in concern for the injustice that occurred."
He added that he found it puzzling that the MFL and FAM did not show sympathy or compassion towards those wronged in this issue.
"It should be noted that what happened not only tarnishes the credibility of football in this country but can also kill the spirit and direction of the Selangor FC team."
Citing the May 5 acid attack on Faisal Halim and several other national footballers, Sultan Sharafuddin said that the postponement of the charity match was consented by him out of consideration for Faisal and the Selangor FC players.
"On May 5, an acid attack that threatened the life of Selangor and Malaysia football icon Faisal Halim occurred. Several other attacks on professional football players also happened that same week.
"Because of this, I granted permission for Selangor FC to submit a request to postpone the Sumbangsih Cup (Charity Shield) match, as Selangor FC players were still in a state of trauma and fear.
"However, the MFL rejected the postponement request and awarded a 3-0 victory and the Sumbangsih Cup championship to the opposing team."
He believes that the penalties imposed, including a fine of RM100,000, compensation for losses incurred by the host and the MFL, a three-point deduction, and the requirement to hold a Liga Super 14 (LS14) match without spectators were unreasonable and excessive, given that victory was already awarded to the opposing team.
Sultan Sharafuddin has been involved in the local football scene since 1968, when FAS was under the leadership of Datuk Seri Harun Idris, until his retirement in 1990.
He remarked that in that time, he "has never witnessed a situation like this."
"A sport that should be a platform for unity among various races and the public is now marred by violence. Even worse, the MFL and FAM did not take a serious stance or necessary precautions regarding the violence and injustice faced by the players.
"I want to remind once again that football is a beloved sport that unites Malaysians based on a high spirit of sportsmanship. These extreme actions by the MFL do not reflect this spirit at all and will only damage the image of the local football industry and public support for this sport we love."