Perak kicks off football revival from the ground up

New Straits Times

26-05-2025

BATU GAJAH: Perak will prioritise grassroots football development in a bid to revive the sport's former glory in the state.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said this approach was being adopted as attempts to turn football into a commercial venture had not delivered the desired outcomes, unlike in some other countries.
He said that although football team privatisation had been pursued in the hope that private sector investment would drive profit-oriented growth, it had proven unsustainable.
"In Malaysia, including in Perak, we have been unable to replicate the model seen in countries like the United Kingdom, where football functions not only as a sport but as a major business," he said.
"We had hoped that private companies, such as XOX, would fund Perak FC, but in the end, they could not sustain the commitment. This isn't unique to Perak — most states face similar challenges, with the exception of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT)," he added.
Saarani was speaking at a press conference after attending the Meet the Customer Day event at Dewan Bandaran Kinta here today.
It was recently reported that Perak FC had suspended all operations with immediate effect due to financial difficulties.
In a statement, the club's management confirmed that foreign players had been released and remaining funds used to pay staff and local players.
Saarani said the state would now return to the traditional football development model beginning at school level. Discussions have already been held with Perak Football Association (PAFA) president Datuk Mohd Azhar Jamaluddin.
"In the past, we identified talent through school competitions via the Perak School Sports Council (MSSPk), starting from district level up to the state level. That was how we unearthed promising players," he said.
"If we want Perak football to thrive again, we need to rebuild from that foundation."
He also attributed the lack of new talent to the limited opportunities available to local players in the Super League, which increasingly favours foreign players.
"At the moment, only JDT are managing to stay competitive. States such as Kedah, Perlis, Pahang, and even Perak are struggling.
"With the Super League allowing foreign players, local talent is being sidelined. Yet the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) still relies on Malaysian players for the national team. Without grassroots development, where will those players come from?" he said.
Saarani affirmed that the state would continue supporting football development through participation in tournaments such as the Malaysia Games (Sukma) and other state-level championships.