KUALA LUMPUR: Former FAM disciplinary committee chairman Kamarudin Abdullah has questioned the Malaysian Football League's (MFL) punishment of Selangor FC, calling it a "departure from established procedures."
Earlier this week, the MFL imposed sanctions on Selangor FC following their withdrawal from the Charity Shield match against Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) on May 10, but lessened the punishment two days later.
Kamarudin took MFL to task for the unprecedented move, and pointed to the absence of a disciplinary committee which traditionally handled such matters.
"Previously, the standard procedure would involve referring such incidents to the disciplinary committee. When a club withdraws from a match, it's typically treated as a disciplinary issue, warranting fines and possibly points deduction," said Kamarudin today.
He expressed disbelief over the "swift imposition" of sanctions without the due process of allowing both Selangor and JDT to present their cases.
"The decision seemed rushed and lacked a fair hearing process. There was no opportunity for the 'right to be heard', which is fundamental in disciplinary matters," said Kamarudin.
He stressed the importance of adhering to standard disciplinary practices by allowing the concerned parties to give their statements before any sanctions are decided.
"While I acknowledge that the regulations may have evolved since my tenure at FAM, this case raises concerns about procedural fairness. Each committee should operate within its defined jurisdiction," said Kamarudin.
Selangor FC were initially fined RM100,000 by MFL for withdrawing from the Charity Shield match against JDT on May 10. Selangor had asked for a postponement, citing safety concerns following the horrific acid attack on Faisal Halim and threats to team officials.
Selangor were also initially docked three league points, ordered to play a home match behind closed doors against JDT, and pay compensation to MFL and JDT.
After the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah made known his feelings on the issue, MFL reduced the fine to RM60,000, rescinded the points deduction and closed-door match punishments, but maintained that Selangor still have to compensate MFL and JDT.