KUALA LUMPUR — Any attempt by Sarawak to establish a professional football league outside Malaysia’s recognised football structure is unlikely to receive backing from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), a source familiar with the matter has revealed.
The position comes amid growing attention on the Sarawak government’s plans to build a comprehensive state-wide football ecosystem, a move that has fuelled speculation over whether the initiative could eventually evolve into a parallel competition separate from the Malaysia League.
It was reported that State Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the initiative would include age-group competitions at district, divisional and state levels.
Sarawak’s plan also involves collaboration between the state ministry, the Football Association of Sarawak, Kuching City FC and corporate partners to establish a multi-tiered framework designed to improve player development pathways into professional football.
A senior source from the Football Association of Malaysia said while grassroots and state-level competitions are welcomed, any attempt to create an unsanctioned professional structure would fall outside the governing body’s framework.
“State development football is something we fully support because it strengthens the foundation of the game,” the source said.
“But once a league positions itself as a professional competition outside the recognised national structure, it cannot be treated as part of the official system. Malaysian football already operates within a defined pyramid, and that structure must be respected.”
The source stressed that all competitions seeking recognition must be formally endorsed and integrated into the national setup.
“Any state league, including Sarawak’s, must go through FAM for endorsement and registration if it is to be recognised within the official framework,” the source said.
“It cannot operate independently and expect automatic recognition later. The pyramid system is built on prior sanctioning, not post-approval.”
He added that operating outside the sanctioned structure would create immediate complications for clubs and players.
“If a competition is not sanctioned, issues arise straight away, particularly around player registration and eligibility pathways,” the source revealed.
“Football is one ecosystem. If you start operating in isolation, you disrupt the entire system from grassroots to professional level.”
The source further warned against accelerating into professionalism without governance alignment.
“Professional football is not defined by ambition or funding alone. It requires licensing, regulatory compliance, and integration into both national and continental structures,” the source added.
“If clubs step outside the framework, they risk disconnecting themselves from the Malaysia League pathway and, ultimately, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) system. That is not a small consequence.
“There is a single recognised pathway. If a competition wants to be part of it, it must be sanctioned from the beginning. You cannot build first and seek approval later.”
Since the announcement, Sarawak’s proposal has sparked discussion among football fans on social media, with some viewing it as a potential step towards a more independent, Premier League-style competition within the state, while others have questioned its feasibility within Malaysia’s existing football governance structure.
The source, however, dismissed such interpretations.
“What is being outlined is a structured development framework for grassroots and semi-competitive football.
“It should not be conflated with the formation of a separate professional league,” the source said- June 13, 2026