GEORGE TOWN: Loan sharks are on the prowl for desperate Malaysian professional footballers – no thanks to the state FAs who are unable to pay their salaries on time.

Perak coach Steve Darby revealed yesterday that his players told him that people unknown to them had approached them with loan offers.

“This is an unhealthy situation. Desperate players are vulnerable and it could lead to other undesirable things like illegal bookmaking and match-fixing. But my players have been magnificent. They have turned down the offers and approached me for help.”

The Perak FA, ironically, are among those in financial difficulties and the last drawn salary for players and officials was on March 30.

Penang are also on the same boat and an official, who asked not to be named, said that their players had also been approached by loan sharks.

Darby said that the Perak FA were in dire straits and the team were in danger of not being able to fulfil their commitments in the Malaysia Cup.

He added that the FA did not even have funds to enable the team to travel for their next away match against Johor PG at the Larkin Stadium in Johor Baru on June 30.

”It is unfortunate but it is true. With our bank account already empty, we do not have funds to make payments for the bus and the hotel,” said Darby in Ipoh after returning from Kuantan with the team following the match against Pahang, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

However, the Englishman was confident that the management would be able to sort out the problems.

The Perak FA acting president, Datuk Mahiyuddin Arshad, said that with their budget reduced by RM1mil this season, they had to cut down on expenses but still ran into financial woes.

“We had the team travel by road instead of by air and did away with unnecessary hotel stays. Players also had to take a pay cut,” he said.

”This has largely to do with the sudden freeze of the much depended upon State government’s allocation of RM2.8mil. We use this money not only for our league commitments but also to pay our coaches and players their salaries.”

Mahiyuddin added that they had approached the FA of Malaysia (FAM) and the state government to help them solve the problems and the former had indicated their willingness to help.

Perak are one of the few teams who still draw decent revenue from gate collection.

But Mahiyuddin said that the money was to service their long-term debts, including payment to the players’ Employees Provident Fund, taxes and stadium charges.

Article source:

TheStar News

ALOR STAR: Kedah and Perak scored wins over Singapore sides in their final group matches of the AFC Cup tournament last night to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Newly-crowned Super League champions Kedah ended Singapore’s Home United winning run in Group D with a thumping 4-1 win while Perak stunned Singapore Armed Forces 2-0 in Group E.

It was sweet revenge for both the Malaysian sides, who were soundly beaten by the Singapore clubs in the first round.

Clear the way: Home United’s Shahril Alias (in front) tries to clear the ball from Kedah’s Marlon James during their AFC Cup match in Alor Star last night. – CHIN CHENG YEANG / The Star

Both Kedah and Perak qualified for the quarter-finals as two of the three best runners-up in the five-group preliminary rounds.

The Singapore clubs advanced as the champions.

In Alor Star, the Canaries shook off an early setback to avenge their 1-5 defeat by Home United in the first round.

The Singapore League champions took the lead with a fifth-minute strike by striker Kengne Ludovick. But Kedah continued to take the fight to Home United with Marlon James, Hasmawi Hassan, Badrul Bakhtiar and Mat Sabre Abu taking shots at goal.

And Nelson Martin got it right for Kedah with a free kick in the 41st minute.

Kedah took the lead immediately after the start of the second half with Mat Sabre racing past the Singaporean defence to meet a long through ball from James.

Home United conceded a penalty in the 58th minute and Martin made the conversion. James was on target for goal number four for Kedah in the in the 82nd minute.

Perak, who were handed a 1-6 bashing by Singapore Armed Forces at the Perak Stadium last month, made amends to get full points with goals from skipper Ahmad Shahrul Azahar (21st) and Mohd Hardy Jaafar (70th) in their away match at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Both teams finished on 13 points but the Singapore side emerged as the group winners with a better goal difference.

Article source:

TheStar Sports

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh has been accused of politicising things by warning the Prime Minister that he will not hesitate to take legal action against the premier and his deputy if they continue attacking him publicly.

“Karpal Singh likes to politicise things. We expect what he’s doing is just to get publicity,” Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said yesterday after presenting awards to outstanding Malay individuals and non-governmental organisations in conjunction with Umno’s 62nd anniversary celebration.

Karpal Singh had on Friday warned the Prime Minister that he would not hesitate to take legal action if the premier and his deputy persisted in attacking him over his statement that the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah did not have jurisdiction over the transfer of state Religious Department director Datuk Jamry Sury.

Asked why he lodged a police report against Karpal Singh at Brickfields police station on Thursday, Tengku Adnan said: “I’m asking the police to investigate. To me, it (Karpal Singh’s statement) is seditious.

“I think some action should be taken against Karpal Singh and whoever talks against the rulers of the country.”

Earlier, Tengku Adnan advised the people, especially youths, who liked to read about allegations against Umno leaders posted by bloggers on the Internet, to check with the Umno headquarters if there was any truth to the stories.

In Ipoh, Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Taib said yesterday that Karpal Singh should have sought an audience with the Sultan of Perak to voice his opinion on the reinstatement of Jamry.

“He should not have done it in public. He should be more refined, respectful and courteous,” he said.

Meanwhile, Perak MIC members, led by state chairman Datuk G. Rajoo, staged a protest against Karpal Singh at their party headquarters in Medan Kidd in Ipoh yesterday.

“We urged the state government to view this issue seriously and the police to start investigations on Karpal Singh for his unethical statements,” said Rajoo.

Article source:

TheStar News 

PENANG: Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh fears for his safety now after the Prime Minister’s call to the Attorney-General to decide whether to charge him for questioning the powers of the Perak Sultan.

Karpal Singh, who is DAP chairman, said what Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said carried a lot of weight and had serious implications and consequences which made him worried about his safety.

“His statement urging the AG to act quickly because a lot of people were interested to know what the appropriate punishment should be, clearly amounted to him directing the AG to punish me even before I have been charged in court,” he told a press conference at his office in Green Hall yesterday.

“The statement gave the public a pre-conceived idea that I had committed an offence and should be punished,” he said.

Yesterday, police officers Asst Supt A. Sidambaram and Asst Supt Azry Akmar Ayob from the George Town police headquarters questioned Karpal Singh for two hours at his office here from 11.30am.

Karpal Singh was questioned over the reports made against him in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, on April 25 and in Ipoh, Perak, on May 5.

He said the Attorney-General must not be influenced by Abdullah’s call and should act without fear and favour.

Karpal Singh said he would raise the matter in Parliament tomorrow.

He added he had to justify his stand that Perak Sultan Azlan Shah did not have jurisdiction over the transfer of state Religious Department director Datuk Jamry Sury.

Meanwhile, acting state police chief Senior Asst Comm I Datuk Salleh Mat Rasid said the police would expedite investigations into Karpal Singh’s case.

“We will forward the investigation papers to the deputy public prosecutor’s office maybe in two or three days as requested by the AG,” he told reporters at the Patani Road police station yesterday.

On whether Karpal Singh would be arrested, SAC Salleh said police would take appropriate action if there was sufficient evidence.

Article source:

TheStar News 

I am referring to Karpal’s statement that sultan of Perak did not have jurisdiction over the transfer of Datuk Jamry Sury.

One thing about Karpal is, he think he is the best Lawyer kat Malaysia nie. Never mind if he think so, but jangan pandang rendah la kat orang lain. Lebih-lebih lagi kapada Sultan. Ramai lagi yang pandai-pandai kat Malaysia nie bukan dia sorang je.

He should know, people vote for him because he is loud & can serve to provide check and balance in the Parliament. Tapi jangan sampai naik ‘tochang’ la.

Yes there might be some point which is right legally in his comment. But he must see it in overall picture. Ini melibatkan urusan agama, and he should know very well that it is a very sensitive subject.

Cara penyampaiannye pun berbunyi ‘kurang ajar’. Seolah-olah Sultan yang ada, adalah sultan orang Melayu bukan Sultan dia, so he doesn’t have to have any respect to them. Sebagai orang lama, he should set a good example to the youngsters especially the Indian untuk menghormati kuasa Raja-raja dan kedaulatannya di samping sensitivity terhadap agama dan bangsa lain di dalam Malaysia.

If he continues like this I am afraid that ketegangan dalam semangat perkauman yang akhir-akhir ini semakin ketara akan terus bertambah parah. He should realize that hingga kini dah ramai Malay Professional yang mindanya terbuka, dan boleh meneriman kesaksamaan hak antara kaum tak kira bangsa.

Tetapi bila rakyat bagi mandat sikit, first thing they thouch is to abolish DEB (in penang), transfer pegawai agama ikut selera, dan menghentam kedaulatan raja-raja.

I want to ask Karpal, if he was born as Mohd Karpal Bin Mohd Singh, what he would feel about all this. I bet, first impression would be, S**t! kalau baru penang kita bagi kat bangsa lain, diaorang dah nak tekan the Malay like this, I wonder what they’ll do if they have the Government. Silap-silap jadi macam Melayu yang tertindas di Singapura lah…

See what I mean…therefore, satu peringatan to the Non-Malays yang di beri mandat dan kepercayaan rakyat, terutama the Malays yang vote them. Jangan sekali-kali menyentuh dan menidakkan perihal hak dan ketuanan Melayu serta kedaulatan Sultan.

“ Pada satu hari di zaman dahulu, ada satu budak cina & satu budak India yang hidupnya merempat. Kerana tidak mempunyai tempat tinggal dia datang untuk menumpang di rumah Abu yang juga mempunyai seorang anak. Kerana kesihan, si Abu pun menerima dua orang pelarian ini dan membelanya macam anak sendiri.

Si Abu pun berharap Si Ameng, Si Karpal & anaknya Ali akan dapat hidup seperti sebuah keluarga. Dia malah membin kan mereka kepada Ameng Bin Abu, dan Karpal Bin Abu.

Mereka berkongsi rumah tempat tinggal, tanah lading dan harta-harta Abu yang lain. Persoalannya ialah walaupun mereka berkongsi segalanya dan hidup aman damai, ada kah hak si Ameng dan Karpal nie untuk menidakkan ketuanan serta hak si Abu & anaknya Ali terhadap rumah serta harta-hartanya?

Si Ali agak kurang pandai berbanding si Ameng & Karpal. Jestru Abu pun memberi sedikit kelebihan dalam membantu si Ali. Ada kah hak si Ameng & Karpal untuk bersuara menidakkan hak si Ali?

Apa yang Ameng & Karpal perlu sedar ialah, mereka perlu banyak bersyukur kerana dengan jasa baik Abu, mereka telah dapat menikmati hidup yang baik dan harmoni sehingga ke anak, cucu. Dan mereka perlu berpesan kepada anak cucu mereka, agar sentiasa menghormati kaum kerabat Abu kerana dengan jasa baik Abu lah mereka dapat hidup senang dan mempunyai rumah yang selesa untuk tinggal…”

Renung-renungkan……………..

Tok Uban

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should legalise football betting to stamp out match-fixing, Perak coach Steve Darby said yesterday following allegations of match fixing in the Super League.

Darby said that profits from betting could be used to improve the game in the country.

“We cannot stop betting. Legalised betting will help (prevent match-fixing). The money can be ploughed back to provide better training facilities for the players,” he said.

Englishman Darby added that he had written to the FA of Malaysia (FAM) three times to warn about possible match-fixing in the league after his players were approached.

Betting on football is illegal in Malaysia but neighbouring Singapore has legalised it.

Darby said that it was difficult to estimate how widespread match-fixing was in Malaysian football.

The scandal is the latest blow to Malaysian football, which has struggled to recover from a 1994 investigation that saw 126 players questioned.

In that debacle, 21 players and coaches were sacked while 58 players were suspended by FAM for corruption.

Meanwhile, national chief coach B. Satiananthan Nair said that it was unlikely football betting would be legalised in predominantly Malaysia.

“Legalising betting will not stop match-fixing. Educating players to stay out of corruption is the only way out,” he said.

Satiananthan said that Singapore was an example of where legalised betting had not eliminated graft in football.

Earlier this year, seven players from S-League side Liaoning Guangyuan were charged with alleged match-fixing.

Article source:

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2008/4/28/sports/21084154&sec=sports