The financial crisis at Perak FC continues as the Liga Premier Malaysia side was slapped with a six-point deduction following their failure to settle their salary arrears with their players and staff members after the April 14th deadline. The Bos Gaurus, who were relegated from the Liga Super Malaysia last season, are now being given a deadline until April 21st to pay the wages that they have owed, and should Perak fail to do so, they could be expelled from the Malaysian football pyramid altogether.
The points deduction was slapped onto Perak on Thursday night following their failure to produce any proof that they have the funds needed to pay their owed salaries. With the club expected to have new ownership sooner than later, current owners Impact Media and Communication have yet to finalize the deal that could see the club switch hands to JR Resources due to the latter disagreeing with a number of clauses within the deal.
With JR Resources yet to respond to Impact’s new and improved offer before the April 14th deadline, the Malaysia Football League (MFL)’s First Instance Body (FIB) has decided to axe six points off the Bos Gaurus for their failure to perform their due diligence before the deadline.
Sheikh Mohd Nasir Sheikh Mohd Shari, who chaired the MFL FIB’s licencing body, told Berita Harian that Perak had been given one last chance in settling their financial dues. Should the club fail to do so by the April 21st deadline, then on April 22nd the FIB will discuss an appropriate penalty for the Bos Gaurus, which includes expulsion from the Malaysian football pyramid.
“If within seven days from the date the second sentence is made and proof of full payment or even a joint settlement agreement is still not submitted to MFL on or before 21 April 2022, then on 22 April 2022, the matter will be brought to the FIB Committee and MFL Board of Directors for next action,” said Sheikh Nasir, “Until now, FIB has not received any documentation from Perak FC to convince FIB on Perak FC’s ability to resolve the 2021 and 2022 salary arrears as well as the club’s financial position in facing the rest of the league competition for the 2022 season.”
MFL chief executive officer Stuart Ramalingam told the New Strait Times that Perak’s new owners must prove themselves to be not a replicant of the previous ownership, hence the need from the club to send proof of their finances to the MFL as soon as possible.
Having beaten Selangor II in their last league match, Perak’s three points have been rendered null and void by the first points deduction, and they could start this week’s game on -6 points following the second deduction.
With the threat of expulsion looming above their heads, Perak must race against the clock to settle their financial issues and hand the club over to new ownership. The MFL’s threat of expulsion is no laughing matter as two clubs have been expelled due to their financial instability midway through the league season. Marcerra Kuantan FA were kicked out of the 2018 Liga Premier Malaysia season after failing to pay their debts to former players as well as failing to pay four months’ worth of salaries to their current players, while a star-studded Perlis Northern Lions, featuring the likes of Safee Sali, Khyril Muhymeen, and Singapore international Faris Ramli, were expelled from the 2019 Liga Premier Malaysia season due to the actions of their fraudulent club president at that time, who had failed to pay his players as well as failing to provide any financial proof that Perlis would able to last through the season.