KUALA LUMPUR – Polis Diraja Malaysia FC (PDRM FC) has denied allegations that the club is currently facing financial constraints which have resulted in their coaches and players not receiving payment.
According to sources within the football fraternity, there were rumours that the club’s management, which is funded by redONE Network Sdn Bhd (a mobile virtual network operator), had been withholding the salaries of players for nearly two months.
For the record, redONE is no stranger to the local football scene, having previously funded clubs such as Sabah FC and Kelantan FC.
Speaking to Scoop, PDRM FC chief executive officer Mohamad Hafiz Zainal Abidin said the club has never failed to pay its employees, either before or during the ongoing Super League season.
“We have always paid our coaches and players every month, and there is no need for us to withhold their money.
“The rumours are completely untrue, and we do not engage in such unethical behaviour. We are a club that always prioritises the well-being of our coaches and players at all costs.
“Yes, we admit that sometimes there are delays in paying the salaries, but we have always made sure that all of them get paid in the first week of the month,” said Hafiz when contacted.
At the same time, Hafiz expressed his frustration with those spreading false rumours about the club’s management, accusing them of intentionally stirring up trouble.
“Those who are spreading such rumours have nothing better to do with their lives. Do they feel happy when they see us divided?
“PDRM FC is not here to jeopardise anyone’s livelihood, and we will never do that. If those spreading these rumours have a problem with us, they should come and speak to us directly instead of talking behind our backs. My office is always open to those who would like to talk to me.
“It’s time for these people to focus on their own lives and progress instead of disrupting our progress in football,” Hafiz added.
The Cops, making their seventh appearance in the Malaysian top flight, currently rank sixth in the table with one win, one draw, and one defeat, totaling four points.
Their last game in the Super League saw them draw against a much more experienced Penang FC side, secured through a 32nd-minute goal by Nigerian striker Ifedayo Olusegun.
Last season, PDRM finished eighth in the Super League with 37 points and narrowly missed out on qualifying for the group stage of the 2024/25 Asean Club Championship by just one point, trailing behind Kuala Lumpur City FC, who finished seventh with 38 points. – June 19, 2024
