Kelantan reinstated into the Super League after paying their debts

PETALING JAYA: Kelantan have been reinstated in the Super League next season. 

The Kelantan FA (Kafa) president, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, said that they had paid up the dues owed to the players and the Employees Provident Fund. 

“We have sorted out the matter with the general secretary of the FAM. Whatever money we owed to the players was paid up on Monday,” he said from Kota Baru yesterday. 

The FAM general secretary, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad, confirmed that Kafa had complied with the terms and conditions in a meeting at the Wisma FAM yesterday. 

“Kelantan have sorted out the payments but the five others teams remain status quo,“ said Azzuddin. 

Kelantan were among the teams who faced expulsion from the Malaysian Super League (MSL) next season for failing to meet the Oct 31 deadline set by the FAM to settle outstanding debts. The others are Super League teams Penang and Perak and Premier League sides Shahzan Muda, Malacca and Pahang. 

And two clubs sides, UPB-MyTeam and Proton, chose to withdraw from competitions next season. 

Besides having to settle their dues, the teams were also required to meet new conditions set by the FAM. 

Super League sides need a minimum budget of RM2.5mil and they have to be able to deposit RM150,000 with FAM. And Premier League teams should have a minimum budget of RM1.5mil and a deposit of RM100,000. 

Teams were also required to produce a letter of undertaking from their sponsors. 

The FAM council, headed by Sultan Ahmad Shah, have yet to confirm the date of their next meeting. 

The Super League next season are now left with 12 teams – Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis, Kuala Muda Naza, KL Plus, Johor FC, Kelantan and promoted sides T-Team Terengganu, Johor and Harimau Muda A. 

There are 10 teams remaining in the Premier League – Sabah, Sarawak, Police, Armed Forces, PKNS, Kuala Lumpur, KL Pos, Harimau Muda B, Tambun Tulang and Felda United.