KUALA LUMPUR: Local automotive giant Perodua has been approached by former European champions Manchester United for a potential sponsorship deal.
Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin (pic) revealed this when asked about the company’s interest in football sponsorships, particularly in the local scene.
Currently, Perodua sponsors the National Amateur Golf Series and is also involved in the Malaysian Masters badminton tournament.
While he did not rule out the possibility of sponsoring a football club, he said any proposal would need careful consideration.
“Recently, I don’t know if I should say this, but I received a letter from Manchester United asking if they could feature the Perodua logo on their shirts and whether we could sponsor them.
“I don’t usually say this in public, but I’m an Arsenal supporter. If I do that, it wouldn’t be fair to Arsenal. But that’s just an example of people reaching out for our support in football. As I said, we will consider it, especially in Malaysia,” said Asmat after officiating the fifth edition of the National Amateur Golf Series in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
Asmat clarified that Perodua is not opposed to sponsoring local football teams, but the company must be strategic in its choices to safeguard its business interests and maintain its customer base.
“We have to be choosy. For instance, if we sponsor JDT (Johor Darul Ta’zim), we might lose customers from Selangor or Kelantan. So we need to be mindful of who we support and sponsor.“These are some of the factors we have to consider. As a team, it’s a difficult decision.
‘‘I’m saying this openly, but there are other ways we can provide sponsorship.
‘’As the minister (Hannah Yeoh) mentioned, with government support and tax incentives, we can consider,” he added.
Several Malaysian league clubs are currently grappling with financial difficulties, leading to salary arrears for their players.
Among the teams that have faced such financial woes are Kuala Lumpur City, Kedah Darul Aman and Kelantan Darul Naim.
