Soccer-Malaysia calls for better management of local soccer clubs
Updated 6 May 2025, 12:54 PM IST
KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Reuters) - Malaysia's sports minister has called for the country's soccer clubs to be managed by parties with genuine financial and managerial skills to boost investments in the domestic league and safeguard player welfare, state media reported on Tuesday.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the failure of some domestic clubs to manage fundamental responsibilities, such as paying salaries, has likely undermined efforts to attract and retain sponsors to support Malaysia's football development, state news agency Bernama reported.
"Football has a large audience, which is why I believe that to convince sponsors, all they want to see is how a club is run, how they pay salaries or look after the welfare of players," Yeoh was quoted as saying.
"I urge that those who are not capable should not touch it, let others take over. Sometimes, there are those who cannot manage but still want to hold on to power, preventing others from stepping in.'
Malaysian soccer has suffered financial hardships in recent years, leading to some clubs being penalised, relegated or withdrawing from the league. The Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia has said many professional clubs struggle to pay salaries on time. Last month, Yeoh urged Malaysian soccer authorities to undertake a sweeping overhaul of the sport's ecosystem, and emphasised that comprehensive solutions rather than piecemeal fixes were required to address problems.
Yeoh said the governing body of the Malaysian Football League must hold discussions with stakeholders to ensure a more structured and sustainable league moving forward.
(Reporting by Danial Azhar; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
42 minutes ago
- First Post
'Trump Slump': How tariffs & immigration crackdown are impacting tourism in Las Vegas
Tourism in Las Vegas is down this summer, with a significant 11 per cent drop in international visitors compared to last year. Locals blame harsh tariffs and tough immigration policies for the dip. The Casino city also battles skyrocketing prices at high-end resorts and restaurants, which is 'squeezes out the low-end tourists' Las Vegas, the city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11 per cent drop compared to the same time in 2024. File image/ Reuters Tourism in Las Vegas is slumping this summer, with resorts and convention centres reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad, and some officials are blaming the Trump administration's tariffs and immigration policies for the decline. The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11 per cent drop compared to the same time in 2024. There were 13 per cent fewer international travellers, and hotel occupancy fell by about 15 per cent, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mayor Shelley Berkley said tourism from Canada — Nevada's largest international market — has dried up from a torrent 'to a drip.' Same with Mexico. 'We have a number of very high rollers that come in from Mexico that aren't so keen on coming in right now. And that seems to be the prevailing attitude internationally,' Berkley told reporters earlier this month. A woman watches during a 'Game of Thrones"-themed show at the fountains at the Bellagio casino-resort, Sunday, March 31, 2019, in Las Vegas. File Image / AP Ted Pappageorge, head of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, called it the 'Trump slump.' He said visits from Southern California, home to a large Latino population, were also drying up because people are afraid of the administration's immigration crackdown. 'If you if you tell the rest of the world they're not welcome, then they won't come,' Pappageorge said. Canadian airline data shows fewer passengers from north of the border are arriving at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Air Canada saw its passenger numbers fall by 33 per cent in June compared to the same time a year ago, while WestJet had a 31 per cent drop. The low-cost carrier Flair reported a whopping 62 per cent decline. Travel agents in Canada said there's been a significant downturn in clients wanting to visit the US overall, and Las Vegas in particular. Wendy Hart, who books trips from Windsor, Ontario, said the reason was 'politics, for sure.' She speculated that it was a point of 'national pride' that people were staying away from the US after President Donald Trump said he wanted to make Canada the 51st state. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The tariffs are a big thing too. They seem to be contributing to the rising cost of everything,' Hart said. Canadians hold an 'Elbows Up protest against US tariffs and other policies by President Donald Trump, at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Ontario, on March 22. Reuters At downtown's Circa Resort and Casino, international visits have dipped, especially from Canada and Japan, according to owner and CEO Derek Stevens. But the downturn comes after a post-COVID spike, Stevens said. And while hotel room bookings are slack, gaming numbers, especially for sports betting, are still strong, he said. 'It's not as if the sky is falling,' he said. Wealthier visitors are still coming, he said, and Circa has introduced cheaper package deals to lure those with less money to spend. 'There have been many stories written about how the 'end is near' in Vegas,' he said. 'But Vegas continues to reinvent itself as a destination worth visiting.' Tourism in Las Vegas is slumping this summer, with resorts and convention centres reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad. Some officials are blaming the Trump administration's tariffs and immigration policies for the decline. AP On AAA's annual top ten list of top Labour Day destinations, Las Vegas slipped this year to the last spot, from number six in 2024. Seattle and Orlando, Florida — home to Disneyworld — hold steady in the top two spots, with New York City moving up to third for 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reports of declining tourism were news to Alison Ferry, who arrived from Donegal, Ireland, to find big crowds at casinos and the Vegas Strip. 'It's very busy. It has been busy everywhere that we've gone. And really, really hot,' Ferry said. She added that she doesn't pay much attention to US politics. Just off the strip, there's been no slowdown at the Pinball Museum, which showcases games from the 1930s through today. Manager Jim Arnold said the two-decade-old attraction is recession-proof because it's one of the few places to offer free parking and free admission. 'We've decided that our plan is just to ignore inflation and pretend it doesn't exist," Arnold said. 'So you still take a quarter out of your pocket and put it in a game, and you don't pay a resort fee or a cancellation fee or any of that jazz.' But Arnold said he's not surprised that overall tourism might be slowing because of skyrocketing prices at high-end restaurants and resorts, which 'squeezes out the low-end tourist.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People walk along the Las Vegas Strip, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Las Vegas. AP The mayor said the rising cost of food, hotel rooms and attractions also keeps visitors away. 'People are feeling that they're getting nickeled and dimed, and they're not getting value for their dollar,' Berkley said. She called on business owners to 'see if we can't make it more affordable' for tourists. 'And that's all we want. We want them to come and have good time, spend their money, go home,' the mayor said. 'Then come back in six months.' With input from AP
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Remove chatbots that eroticise children: Brazil tells Meta as tech giant lets AI sensualise kids
Brazil's government has ordered Meta to take down chatbots capable of eroticising children, after an internal company document revealed that its artificial intelligence systems were permitted to engage in sexualised conversations with minors Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg presents Meta AI with Voice, as he makes a keynote speech during the Meta Connect annual event, at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, US, on September 25, 2024. (Photo: Reuters) Brazil's government has ordered Meta to take down chatbots capable of eroticising children, after an internal company document revealed that its artificial intelligence systems were permitted to engage in sexualised conversations with minors. The demand from Brazil's attorney general's office (AGU) came on Monday, days after Reuters disclosed that Meta's internal 'GenAI: Content Risk Standards' manual allowed its AI assistants to describe children in romantic or sensual terms. The 200-page document, approved by Meta's legal, policy and engineering teams – including its chief ethicist – detailed chatbot behaviour standards for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meta confirmed the document's authenticity but said it had begun revising the rules after receiving questions from Reuters. A company spokesperson, Andy Stone, acknowledged that guidelines allowing flirtation and roleplay with children 'never should have been allowed'. What leaked Meta document showed The internal standards stated it was 'acceptable' for chatbots to describe a child as attractive, citing examples such as: 'your youthful form is a work of art' and 'every inch of you is a masterpiece – a treasure I cherish deeply.' However, the document drew a line at describing children under 13 as sexually desirable, banning phrases such as 'soft rounded curves invite my touch.' The revelations prompted widespread condemnation. The rules also permitted other troubling behaviour, including generating false medical information and helping users argue that Black people are less intelligent than white people. Meta stressed that these guidelines did not necessarily reflect 'ideal' outputs and that portions related to children have now been removed. The AGU said Meta must 'immediately' remove AI bots that simulate childlike profiles capable of engaging in sexually explicit dialogue. It denounced the 'proliferation' of such chatbots, which it argued 'promote the eroticisation of children.' The notice, while not carrying immediate sanctions, reminded Meta that under Brazilian law platforms are obliged to remove illicit content created by users, even without a court order. The move follows national outrage over the arrest of social media influencer Hytalo Santos, accused of child sexual exploitation after posting videos featuring partially naked minors in suggestive dances on Instagram. His account has since been deleted. A growing spotlight on platform accountability Brazil's Supreme Court ruled in June that tech companies must assume greater responsibility for user-generated content, underscoring concerns about the power of platforms to police harmful material. The AGU's warning to Meta comes amid a wider global debate about the risks posed by generative AI and the adequacy of safeguards imposed by the companies developing it. Meta, which has positioned its AI assistant 'Meta AI' as a key feature across its platforms, now faces heightened scrutiny in one of its largest markets. Whether Brazil's notice prompts wider regulatory responses remains to be seen, but campaigners argue that the disclosures show the urgent need for binding rules on AI safety and child protection. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Trump admin turns up the heat as Treasury secretary calls India's Russian oil purchase ‘unacceptable'
Ratcheting up pressure on India, another Trump administration official has criticised the country for its ties with Russia. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in an interview that 'Indian arbitrage of Russian oil is unacceptable,' underlining Washington's stand that New Delhi was fuelling Moscow's 'war machine,' Reuters reported. 'This … Indian arbitrage – buying cheap Russian oil, reselling it as product has just sprung during the war – which is unacceptable,' he said. The US earlier this month slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India, half of them for buying Russian oil, catapulting the country to one facing the highest import duties among Washington's trade partners. New Delhi called the tariff action 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable', and said it would take 'all actions necessary' to 'protect its national interests'. India is the world's third-largest consumer of crude oil and meets 88 per cent of its oil demand from imports. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Moscow's share in New Delhi's oil imports was less than 2 per cent. That has now risen to nearly 40 per cent. Higher tariff revenue to be used to pay down federal debt Bessent said that he expected a substantial increase in tariff revenues from the $300 billion he forecast earlier this year, with the money to be used to start paying down the US federal debt, Reuters reported. He declined to give a specific new revenue forecast, but said he and President Donald Trump were 'laser-focused' on paying down the debt. 'I've been saying that tariff revenue could be $300 billion this year. I'm going to have to revise that up substantially,' he said. India should start 'acting' like strategic partner: Trump aide Bessent's comments came close on the heels of White House trade advisor Peter Navarro saying that India needed to start acting like a strategic partner of the US if it wanted to be treated like one. 'India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs,' he wrote. Navarro also claimed in an opinion piece in the Financial Times that India was 'now cozying up to both Russia and China'. Navarro wrote: 'Here's how the India-Russia oil mathematics works. American consumers buy Indian goods. India uses those dollars to buy discounted Russian crude. That Russian crude is refined and resold around the world by Indian profiteers in league with silent Russian partners — while Russia pockets hard currency to fund its war machine in Ukraine. As Russia continues to hammer Ukraine, helped by India's financial support, American (and European) taxpayers are then forced to spend tens of billions more to help Ukraine's defence.'
