KUALA LUMPUR: The FA of Malaysia (FAM) congress-cum-elections on Feb 15 could be delayed following a legal challenge from the Perlis FA (PFA).
PFA has filed a lawsuit in the Kangar High Court, contesting FAM's decision to suspend its membership, a move the association claims was improper.
The suspension, handed down on Dec 4, relates to unpaid wages and compensation owed to former Swansea City player Matt Holland, who served as Perlis's football director during the tenure of the late Datuk Ahmad Amizal Shaifit Ahmad Rafie in 2019.
PFA president Zamri Ibrahim confirmed the legal action last Friday, stating that the association is now awaiting the court's decision on their injunction request.
"If the court grants our request, the FAM congress, including the candidate nomination process and elections for the 2025-2029 term, will be suspended until the case is resolved," said Zamri.
FAM's decision to suspend PFA's membership was made during an executive committee meeting chaired by Saaran Nadaraja, who also heads its internal dispute committee.
The suspension was enforced after PFA failed to comply with multiple directives from FIFA to settle outstanding wages and compensation totaling RM998,000 owed to Holland.
PFA argues that FAM acted without allowing the association an opportunity to explain or defend itself, prompting the legal challenge.
Meanwhile, Kelantan FA (KAFA) is also under scrutiny for irregularities in its annual general meeting-cum-elections for the 2024-2028 term.
KAFA initially received a stern warning and was instructed to reconvene its congress and elections, but its membership was also suspended 20 days later.
With the suspensions of PFA and KAFA, only 18 affiliates remain eligible to vote in the upcoming FAM elections.
These include Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, Sarawak, Sabah, Armed Forces, Royal Malaysian Police, Malaysian Malays FA, Malaysian Chinese FA, Malaysian Indian Sports Council, and the Football Coaches Association of Malaysia.