KUALA LUMPUR — The Football Coaches Association of Malaysia (FCAM) should be empowered to take action against local clubs involved in failing to pay football coaches’ salaries, says Datuk Ong Kim Swee.
Kim Swee, who is FCAM president, said this authority should be given by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), given the numerous complaints FCAM has received over the years from M-League coaches about unpaid salaries by financially troubled clubs.
Speaking to Scoop, Kim Swee, who also serves as the head coach of Sabah FC, said that with cooperation from FAM and the implementation of improved procedures and measures, these issues could be resolved by next year.
M-League coaches are said to be less vocal than footballers about the issues they face regarding late payments, fearing repercussions from their respective clubs, such as losing their jobs.
To safeguard the positions of coaches at their clubs, Kim Swee has refrained from revealing the identities of coaches affected by their club’s financial woes.
“Of course, as an association, we have many procedures to follow, but we must ensure the coaches’ wellbeing is prioritised, as we will not have top players in the country without their services.
“This issue has been ongoing for years, and we need to put an end to it. FAM, through its coaching committee, must take a firmer stance and allow us to take action against the clubs responsible.
“With proper procedures and measures, we can resolve this issue and ensure coaches’ wellbeing is protected. Coaches are required to register with FAM before becoming members of FCAM, so we have to take collective responsibility to advocate for them. The Malaysian Football League (MFL) also needs to collaborate with us on this matter.
“Even the late coach B. Sathianathan has yet to receive his salary arrears from Sarawak United. So far, we have not received any reports of complaints from Super League coaches, but there have been grievances from coaches in the lower-tier leagues, and we need to assist them urgently,” Kim Swee said when contacted.
It was reported that Sarawak United, which competed in the Super League during the 2022 season, failed to pay RM345,000 in salary arrears to its then-head coach Sathianathan. The Kuching-based club has since been dissolved following a failed Super League licensing appeal.
Scoop has reached out to both FAM and MFL for their comments on this matter. – November 19,2024