KUALA LUMPUR – Sri Pahang coach Fandi Ahmad was left stunned after a referee with a history of suspension was allowed to officiate the Malaysia Cup final.
Fandi made the comments after watching his side fall to a 2-1 defeat against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium yesterday, in a match refereed by Razlan Joffri Ali.
Sri Pahang were reduced to 10 men when Sergio Aguero was sent off in the 35th minute for deliberately kicking JDT striker Bergson Da Silva.
They also had to withstand pressure from an aggressive Southern Tigers side, who committed eight fouls over the 90 minutes.
Another point of controversy was JDT’s winning goal in the 74th minute, scored by Arif Aiman Hanapi, with Fandi suggesting it should have been ruled out for offside.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Fandi said he was disappointed by what he described as a string of unfair refereeing decisions.
Razlan had previously been suspended for two matches by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) last year for errors during a Super League match between JDT and Perak FC at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
“I have so many questions about the standard of refereeing. The referee made a lot of disappointing decisions against us throughout the game,” Fandi said.
“It was clear that Arif Aiman’s goal came from an offside position, yet no action was taken.
“I also just learned that this referee had been suspended before — so I wonder how he was allowed to handle such an important match.
“I prefer not to comment further; those who watched the match will understand what I mean.”
The Singaporean also criticised the implementation of the video assistant referee (VAR) system, claiming only certain individuals were allowed to view it. However, he declined to elaborate further to avoid facing disciplinary action.
Fandi also confirmed that his future at Sri Pahang remains uncertain, with his contract set to expire at the end of the month.
“My contract ends this month. Even the players are unsure about what’s next. But if I’m offered a new deal, I’ll definitely stay and continue giving my best to the club,” he said.
“Having spent part of my playing career here, Pahang has always been my second home after Singapore. Judging by our performance today, I truly hope Sri Pahang will have a bright future.”
Meanwhile, it was reported that the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, revealed that two of the M-League’s historic clubs — Sri Pahang and Kedah FC — could shut down ahead of the 2025–26 season.
Founded in 1959, Sri Pahang have been one of Malaysian football’s most successful sides, winning five Super League titles, four Malaysia Cups, three FA Cups, and three Charity Shields.
They also finished runners-up in the 2005 Asean Club Championship and reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup in 2015. – April 27, 2025