Perlis fans against pull out, pledge to help PFA

The plan by the Perlis Football Association (PFA) to withdraw the state team from the 2017 Premier League due to financial problem has been opposed by their fans.

The Perlis UMNO Youth, Perlis Youth Council (MBNPs) and the Perlis 4B Youth Movement have expressed their commitment to work together to raise funds for PFA to keep the 'Northern Lions' squad in the Malaysian Football League (M-League).

In a joint press conference today, the three bodies want the PFA to drop their plan to withdraw because football has brought glory to Perlis.

Bus operator Mara Liner has pledged to provide free transport for the Perlis team while several companies would like to sponsor the football team's jersey.

Recently, PFA president Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman said he could no longer finance the state team and had spent over RM10 million of his own money in over three years.

Meanwhile, Perlis Umno Youth chief Syed Atif Syed Abu Bakar said the movement would pay the wage of a Perlis-born player for the 2017 season.\

MBNPs president Noor Hairi Mohammed said they have agreed to donate RM10,000 if Perlis field at least five Perlis-born players in the 2017 Premier League.

Perlis 4B Youth Movement chairman, Ku Hasnol Farid Ku Abdul Rahman said they support MBNPs and Perlis UMNO Youth and will help the donation drive.

PFA general secretary Datuk Sulaiman Shafie said Perlis can still compete in the Premier but without highly paid foreign players.

"We can field young players who do not ask for high wages. The wages of local players are RM6,000 at most but for foreign players, wages of USD10,000 are low, and only for players who are not good enough," he added.

The PFA needs more than RM10 million to complete in the 2017 Premier League which starts in February 2017. - BERNAMA