BATU KAWAN, Jan 15 — The crisis surrounding the delayed salary payment of the Football Association of Penang (FAP) players and officers will soon be over.
The assurance came from FAP president Dr Amar Pritpal Abdullah, who said that the state government is committed to ensure the Black Panther squad will shine again this season.
“With the aid of the state government, 80 per cent of the pay for players and officers, encompassing those in the Premier League, President Cup and Youth Cup, have been settled in Dec 2018,” he said to reporters after a pre-season friendly game between Penang and the Malaysian Indian Football Association (MIFA) team at Batu Kawan Stadium, here, last night.
He also assured that the remaining 20 per cent of the pay, for the year 2017, will be settled as soon as possible.
“The remaining unpaid salary for 2017 are for those not in the FAP list, but we will try to contact them, and at the same time, Chief Minister (Chow Kon Yeow) want FAP to call them up for a negotiation, if possible, on the progress decline from Super League to FAM League,” added Dr Amar.
On another development, Dr Amar voiced his optimism that the team’s performance will improve to reach the top five rung of the Premier League this season under the guidance of Ahmad Yusoff and the presence of 80 per cent of new players.
In the game held earlier, Kang Seung Jo and Julian Bottaro scored a goal each for Penang in the 50th and 80th minute respectively, while MIFA only managed to score in the 90th minute due to an error made by Penang goalkeeper, Syamim Othman.
“The player line-up is focused on two new local right wingers, and we are short of one more attacking midfielder, but we have a local candidate for the position and we will announce it in a week’s time,” said Dr Amar. — AFP
