Update: Thanks to a friendly Jounalist who was at Wisma FAM. Some 70 odd Kelantan fans turned up and after saying their piece handed over a memorandum to a FAM official. The same official then held a press conference saying that even though Kelantan FA were to appeal, it will do no good. So I guess we should disband all FAM committees as well, since decisions can be made without them meeting. And he said football is alive and kkicking in Malaysia as the demo showed fans are still interested in Malaysian football, rather the correct word is disgusted...
That is what was displayed on the banner at a demo held by Kelantan fans at Kota Baru yesterday. And the fireworks are expected at Wisma FAM at Kelana Jaya at 3.00pm today (read www.kelate.net).
So what brought about the wrath of the Kelantan fans? Well it has to do with the opening day of the Malaysian Super League. Rather then it being a night of celebration for the Kelantanese, for making the Super League after years in the Premier League, it was not meant to be.
Word has it that a meeting was held after the inspection of the pitch at the Stadium and the conclusion was the pitch was not fit for the match, hence the match was deemed postponed and will be played another day. Or at least this was what Kelantan were told.
Suddenly a different outcome was reached at a meeting of FAM Competitions Committee (or as some put it as FAM Technical Committee of the Competition Committee - first time I heard of such a committee). Kelantan was deemed to have not prepared the pitch and hence a win was awarded by the Committee based on the Match Commissioner and Referee Assesors reports.
This is where it becomes a bit murky as the power to call of a match lies in the hands of the match officials, i.e the referees and not the Match Commissioner and Referee Assesor. So who called of the match at 1.00pm? Rightfully if pitch was not up to standards then match should be called of at 7.00pm.
Then there comes the question of appeal. Who do Kelantan FA appeal to? The same committee who punished them in the first place without calling for their defence. That my friends is ultra vires as you cannot appeal to the same court that meted out the punishment but to a higher court, or somebody out there do not know what they are talking about when it comes to appeals.
So who is the jester in this case? It is Tuanku President who will have to intervene once again as he did when Selangor were docked three points. But Selangor appealed to the Council, so Kelantan FA, go higher if you want justice.
So what brought about the wrath of the Kelantan fans? Well it has to do with the opening day of the Malaysian Super League. Rather then it being a night of celebration for the Kelantanese, for making the Super League after years in the Premier League, it was not meant to be.
Word has it that a meeting was held after the inspection of the pitch at the Stadium and the conclusion was the pitch was not fit for the match, hence the match was deemed postponed and will be played another day. Or at least this was what Kelantan were told.
Suddenly a different outcome was reached at a meeting of FAM Competitions Committee (or as some put it as FAM Technical Committee of the Competition Committee - first time I heard of such a committee). Kelantan was deemed to have not prepared the pitch and hence a win was awarded by the Committee based on the Match Commissioner and Referee Assesors reports.
This is where it becomes a bit murky as the power to call of a match lies in the hands of the match officials, i.e the referees and not the Match Commissioner and Referee Assesor. So who called of the match at 1.00pm? Rightfully if pitch was not up to standards then match should be called of at 7.00pm.
Then there comes the question of appeal. Who do Kelantan FA appeal to? The same committee who punished them in the first place without calling for their defence. That my friends is ultra vires as you cannot appeal to the same court that meted out the punishment but to a higher court, or somebody out there do not know what they are talking about when it comes to appeals.
So who is the jester in this case? It is Tuanku President who will have to intervene once again as he did when Selangor were docked three points. But Selangor appealed to the Council, so Kelantan FA, go higher if you want justice.
