JOHOR Darul Ta’zim (JDT) owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail has given his frank opinion on the current situation in the Malaysia League (M-League), including issues regarding the unsatisfactory conditions of stadiums and pitches.
In a post on X, the Regent of Johor also addressed other concerns, including late salary payments and the attitude of a small group of team management who do not seem to care about the welfare of their clubs.
Tunku Mahkota Ismail also criticised certain parties who prefer to make excuses and quickly blame the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the Malaysian Football League (MFL) for their own faults and shortcomings.
“JDT win, stadiums and pitches not in good condition, players aren’t getting paid, players have no salary and are not motivated, the rainy season, those tasked with running the clubs do not care and so on.
“It’s like if our neighbour’s house is beautiful and ours is neglected, does it make sense to burn down the entire neighbourhood? It’s like having a neglected house and inviting people to live in the forest. If you don’t pay salaries, don’t blame FAM and MFL,” Tunku Mahkota Ismail posted.
In the post, Tunku Mahkota Ismail also proposed the immediate introduction of Financial Fair Play to ensure teams’ financial stability as well as the need for a refereeing body that operates independently, free from the influence of FAM.
The Johor Regent said that, for the past 11 years, numerous excuses and conspiracy theories have been formed, adding that it was time for a change in the attitude of team management.
“It’s like the teams in the Bundesliga (German League) asking everyone to boycott the league because they can’t challenge Bayern Munich. Mindset is everything,” wrote the former FAM president.
Recently, reports have surfaced of declining attendances at stadiums for M-League matches, even for matches involving top clubs, thus raising concerns about the future of the country’s premier football league.
