Sarawak plans to set up own football league

 The state youth, sports and entrepreneur development minister says his ministry is working on this with the state football association and Kuching City Football Club.

A stronger local league system will allow more clubs like Kuching City FC to emerge in other divisions such as Sibu and Bintulu, said state minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Sarawak is planning to establish its own football league to strengthen grassroots development and create a more sustainable football ecosystem in the state, says state youth, sports and entrepreneur development minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He said his ministry is now working with the Football Association of Sarawak, Kuching City Football Club (KCFC) and corporate partners to develop a structured state league system that will include age-group competitions at the district, divisional and state levels.

Karim said a stronger local league system would allow clubs similar to KCFC to emerge in divisions such as Sibu and Bintulu.

He said KCFC, which is set to compete in next year’s AFC Champions League Two and requires about RM15 million in funding, is already operating beyond the development stage.

“Our role is development. KCFC is already at the professional or semi-professional level,” Dayak Daily reported him as saying in Petra Jaya today.

Karim said KCFC’s rapid progress over the last 10 years, which saw them reach the Malaysia Cup final for the first time and qualify for the AFC Champions League Two, showed good management.

“Even if millions are spent, success will not come without proper management,” he said. - FMT