ALOR SETAR: Cash-strapped Kedah players, coaches and officials breathed a sigh of relief after receiving donations through the Kedah Football Players’ Aidilfitri Fund yesterday.
The total contribution of about RM200,000 was presented by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail during a ceremony.
Saifuddin said he hopes the donation can help relieve some of the pain and hardship of the players’ and team officials due to salary arrears that has prolonged for up to 10 months now.
“We managed to raise RM200,000 as of noon yesterday, I am grateful that this initiative can help ease their financial burden. Imagine a week of uncertain Raya preparations as a result of not getting a monthly salary for quite a long time,” he said.
The fund came through the effort of three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to help ease the burden of players and officials ahead of the Aidilfitri celebrations.
The NGOs are the Rangkaian Anak Darulaman Se-Malaysia (RADA), Pertubuhan Sukarelawan Rakyat Aman (SUARA) and Persatuan Anak Darulaman Malaysia (ADAM).
Kedah are facing a financial crisis that worsened to the point where the team’s players and officials faced almost a year’s salary arrears and are currently in 11th place in the Super League. — Bernama
