5-year target for all MFL teams to be well-funded

BANGI, 19 Nov 2019: 

Malaysian Football League (MFL) aims to fully address the financial woes faced by teams competing in the Malaysian League (M-League) within five years, through the implementation of the Economic Control Programme.

MFL president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said the objective of the ECP is to keep teams in good financial shape by adhering to a specified spending mechanism.

In fact, Hamidin is optimistic the mechanism could drastically reduce the financial problems faced by teams.

“If they (the team) spend according to this mechanism and we (MFL) monitor the expenditure they use, such problems will not occur again.

“We want this process to be done as soon as possible so that other issues relating to payroll, income tax and EPF can be reduced. But I think the problems that the teams have suffered all these years may cause the zero-problem target to take another two to three years to achieve,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Spanish League operator LaLiga is the first to implement the ECP in solving the financial problems of football clubs, and it has now been adapted for the M-League, in line with the Next50 MFL Strategic Action Framework.

In addition to focusing on the financial aspects, Hamidin said the ECP will continue to be expanded across other areas – including marketing and club ownership regulations from 2021 to 2024.

“So, I am optimistic that the introduction of the ECP in the M-League will provide more positive input as the club is required to present their earnings projection to MFL in the form of a financial budget to ensure their financial stability.”

Starting next season, each club’s estimated revenue must be contracted in three forms: sponsorship revenue, government grants and capital contributions from club owners, with the MFL to review the budget submitted by each club.

A maximum of 70% of the club’s revenue can be spent on salaries for first-team players and the MFL will not allow new registrations if the cost of the first team squad exceeds the limits set by the MFL.

– Bernama