IT looks like Perlis will not be returning to the M-League anytime soon unless they can settle their debts.
As it stands, Perlis cannot sign both local and foreign players as they are serving a transfer ban, imposed by Fifa last season, for failure to settle the wages of their former Brazilian import, Valci Junior.
Junior scored a goal in Perlis’ 2-1 defeat to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM FC) in their opening Premier League match last season.
They were also axed from the Premier League in February last season after just three rounds of matches by the Malaysia Football League (MFL).
MFL had done so after Perlis had failed to submit the necessary financial documents to play in the league.
Players like Safee Sali and Khyril Muhymeen Zambri were signed by Perlis but the club could not settle their salaries.
Perlis, however, are hoping to make a return to the M-League but they must first settle their debts amounting around RM5 million.
The new Perlis FA (PFA) regime, voted in yesterday and headed by president Zamri Ibrahim, want to file an appeal with Fifa via the FA of Malaysia (FAM) in the hope of putting up a team in the coming season.
If Perlis make a return, the former Malaysia Cup champions will have to play in the M3 League.
“PFA are not dead and buried yet. If we were already dead, we wouldn’t have conducted an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) today,” said Zamri yesterday.
“We are currently banned from participating in football. The only way forward is to meet FAM on the sanctions and file an appeal to Fifa via the national body.
“Logically, we cannot raise funds to settle debts if we are banned from all activities and competitions. At least give us some leeway to do something.”
Zamri added PFA’s priority is to settle their debts first before looking at forming a team for the M-League.
Meanwhile, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) yesterday responded to a claim made by the Kedah FA over a decision by the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) regarding compensation over Akhyar Rashid’s move to the Johor side.
JDT technical director Alistair Edwards said: “In regard to the recent news on an arbitration decision of a case involving JDT’s Akhyar, we would like to clarify that the club are not a party to the decision.
“The case is between Akhyar and his former club (Kedah) over compensation during the contract termination, at which point JDT were never involved,” said the Australian in a statement.