KAFA exco fails to persuade Annuar Musa to stay on

Tan Sri Annuar Musa has reiterated his desire to resign as Kelantan Football Association (KAFA) president despite being repeatedly coaxed by the state football association exco to stay on.

Annuar, who has been holding the post since 2008, expressed his intention early this month by uploading a copy of his official resignation letter in his Facebook page.

In a media conference after meeting KAFA exco at Bangunan Mara, Annuar said he was resigning following financial problems besetting the association.

"The salary arrears of several players needed to be settled by the association and I promised to resolve the matter in five days more even though I am no longer the president.

"Apart from salary problems, the association is also facing problems of registering the team for Malaysia League next season as KAFA has a negative financial balance. We need at least RM3 million cash and RM3 million in the form of bond to be given to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)," he said.

Annuar also revealed that the recruitment of four import players each season needed at least RM2 million and the association needed to have RM2.7 million before the next season starts to pay agents and players.

Apart from financial matters plaguing the association, Annuar also wanted to give the state government or interested entrepreneurs the space to serve and improve the Kelantan team which were seen to be rather inept this season.

He said KAFA is a non-governmental organisation and the exco served the association voluntarily for the love of football.

Annuar also expressed his disappointment with slanders thrown at KAFA by fans of The Red Warriors when the squad did not perform well this season.

"I concede it is not easy to manage the association and the football team when supporters have such high hopes. They should know we may not be able win all the time," he said. -- Bernama