KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has responded to allegations made against Negeri Sembilan FC (NSFC) regarding the non-distribution of prize money to its players.
The governing body’s response comes after a Facebook post by UltraJang claimed that NSFC withheld the prize money of RM75,000, which its under-21 team earned for the club by finishing as runners-up in the President Cup competition in August.
“The prize money that the players won is meant for them, and it has to be given back to them. The salaries of the boys are already low – few are not even being paid, and most of their contracts are yet to be renewed.
“The boys have given their very best to win the prize money for the club, and they are still being treated like slaves,” the post read.
Speaking to Scoop, FAM vice president Mohd Firdaus Mohamed, who is also the chairman of the President Cup committee, said the governing body has never failed to pay the prize money to those who competed in their competitions.
“As far as I’m concerned, we have never had any debts to any clubs with their prize money. But at the end of the day, it’s the decision of the respective clubs to distribute their prize money to their players who won it for them.
“FAM’s job is to pay them accordingly, and we have never dictated or interfered in a club’s decision-making process.
“In the case of NSFC, we have no idea whether they shared the prize money with their players or not, but as I was saying earlier, we will not interfere in this matter.
“Our aim is to maintain a good relationship with these clubs, and we don’t want to ruin our relationship with the clubs by interfering in their decisions,” Firdaus said.
Scoop has reached out to NSFC and is currently waiting for a response on this matter.
NSFC finished as runners-up in the President Cup after losing to Johor Darul Ta’zim 5-1 in the final on aggregate.
NSFC has a record of winning the tournament twice in 2001 and 2002.
The President Cup is a developmental football competition established by FAM for under-21 players in 1985.
The tournament consists of a developmental squad from clubs competing in the top and second divisions of the Malaysian football league system, the Malaysia Super League, and the Malaysia Premier League.
NSFC’s senior team, which plays in the Super League, finished their 2023 season in the ninth position with 27 points.
They were Super League winners in 2006, and they won the Premier League in 2021.
NSFC has lifted the Malaysia FA Cup three times (1948, 2009, 2011). – December 21, 2023