KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor FC will skip the Charity Shield match against Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Friday.
Selangor made the announcement in a statement tonight.
Selangor said the decision was made after a discussion with various parties following a series of criminal incidents and threats against several players and team officials within 72 hours.
"Selangor FC have been informed of MFL's (Malaysia Football League) decision to proceed with the Charity Shield match scheduled to take place on May 10.
"After much deliberation and detailed discussions with various parties following a series of criminal incidents and recent threats against several players and team officials within just 72 hours, the club has reluctantly decided to not participate in the Charity Shield match," read the statement.
"Given the uncertainties surrounding the club at present, Selangor would like to emphasize that the safety of the team is of utmost importance and we take all forms of violence and threats seriously.
"We will not compromise on matters related to the safety of the team. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted."
Earlier today, MFL issued a statement assuring fans and players that security will be beefed up during the Charity Shield to prevent any untoward incidents.
The statement comes in the light of recent attacks on three M-League players: Terengganu's Akhyar Rashid, Selangor's Faisal Halim and JDT's Safiq Rahim.
The MFL had stated that 1,500 police officers will be deployed to maintain order for the Charity Shield match, the season opener for the 2024-2025 M-League.