KUALA LUMPUR: FAM faces potential expulsion from Fifa if it fails to put a stop to the recurring problem of unpaid salaries in the M-League.
This warning came from sports observer Datuk Dr. Pekan Ramli following the latest case of KL City captain Paulo Josue reportedly not having been paid his wages since December 2023.
Former Kuala Lumpur FA president Khalid Samad, KL FC patron Fahmi Fadzil and Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia president Safee Sali have all voiced their concerns over the matter.
Pekan said FAM and the Malaysian Football League, the organiser of the M-League, need to resolve this pervasive problem before Fifa acts against Malaysia.
Pekan said the issue of unpaid salaries in the M-League has become frequent, and this could have negative consequences on Malaysia internationally.
"The state of the M-League is deteriorating rapidly, and this is alarming. Unless urgent and decisive actions are taken by the league's stakeholders and FAM, we risk Fifa sanctions over unresolved salary disputes.
"This crisis also jeopardises our ability to attract foreign players in future seasons, impacting teams like Johor Darul Ta'zim, Terengganu and Selangor, who are fortunately not directly affected, but are nonetheless at risk due to the league's tarnished reputation," said Pekan.
He likened the situation to a festering wound that, if left untreated, could metastasise irreversibly, jeopardising the entire league's future.
Under world body Fifa's regulations, member countries can be suspended over financial mismanagement.