PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) have once again proved that they are the trendsetters in Malaysian football.
The team are not only the first club to announce a pay cut for the players, but they have also committed to donating a portion of their salaries to the Johor Disaster Fund set up to assist those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The players, coaches and staff have agreed to take a 33% salary cut.
And their noble effort during the trying time has earned the thumbs-up from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
“The selfless act shown by JDT players and officials is commendable, ” said FAM secretary-general Stuart Ramalingam.
“They understand the current situation and are willing to sacrifice to ease their club’s burden as well as help the public who are affected by the outbreak.
“JDT have set a good example in managing a crisis and credit should be given to their owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim for this positive effort and the way he managed the club.”
The decision taken by the six-time Super League champions is a breath of fresh air amidst the squabble between M-League teams and the Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia (PFAM).
The PFAM are insisting that the players get full wages although the M-League is suspended in line with the government’s movement control order (MCO) from March 18 to April 14 but the clubs are struggling with dwindling funds.
“We have advised players and M-League teams to discuss and come up with an amicable solution to soften the impact of the MCO. We hope both parties will strike a deal, ” added Stuart.
Source: The Star Online