02 Jun PLAYERS CHARGED

It is learnt the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) will charge nine players tomorrow in Seremban … If this is true the bookies are on the prowl and raring the ugly head.

Let’s wait and See …

Updates on www.mmail.com.my

A VIDEO footage of Negri Sembilan (NS) President’s Cup players supposedly dealing with bookies is one of many leads obtained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in its on-going investigation into the team.

The video, taken from an entertainment outlet in Seremban, allegedly showed a transaction between the players and bookies to fix two matches.

Sources told The Malay Mail the players were paid between RM200 and RM300 as an “advance” and were later given RM2,000 to RM3,000 upon completion of the ‘job’.

The two matches were against Pulau Pinang SDM Navy Kepala Batas at Bertam Mini Stadium in Penang on April 21, and Bukit Jalil Sports School on May 5 at the National Sports Council.

Negri Sembilan defeated the Penang team 5-2 but lost 0-2 to Bukit Jalil.

The MACC was said to had streamlined their investigation on nine players, from 11 initially suspected of match-fixing. The players were first questioned last Saturday followed by sessions on Monday and Wednesday.

They were apparently hauled yesterday.

Negri Sembilan FA (NSFA) secretary Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Latif was at the MACC office in Seremban yesterday but it remained unclear what transpired there.

“There is a lot of evidence to charge the players. This is a step in the right direction. All this while, players have had it easy as this was never reported to the authorities,” said a source.

“There are also talks the President’s Cup players are dealing with several individuals from the senior squad. But let’s allow the MACC to do their job and unearth the truth.”

Hardly a week after Fifa head of security Chris Eaton met with FA of Malaysia officials on match fixing activities in the country, NSFA lodged a police report over the alleged match-fixing activities involving its President’s Cup players at the Seremban 2 police station.

There were also talks of eight Kedah President’s Cup players caught with some RM90,000 believed to be gained from fixing matches.

They were apparently sacked by the Kedah FA two weeks ago.

‘RM4k-RM7k to fix game’

A PROBE by The Malay Mail last year revealed two President’s Cup players confessing they were approached by bookies to fix not only the under-20 tournament but also the annual King’s Gold Cup competition.

They were offered between RM4,000 and RM7,000 to fix a game.

The Malay Mail also obtained a text message purportedly sent out to a T-Team official by a man alleging players from the team were going to fix their quarterfinal game against KL on July 15.

This came about after The Paper That Cares, in its exclusive series, “Bookies taking online bets”, published on April 14, 2009, showed bookies monitoring President’s Cup matches as several websites, including AsianBookie.com, BetStudy and BetSquare, provided real-time results and betting odds for the age-group tournament.

Originally known as the Burnley Cup, the President’s Cup was first played in 1985 after the FA of Malaysia (FAM) turned semi-professional. The FAM decided every team competing in domestic leagues were required to field a President’s Cup side in the name of development.

It started off as an under-23 tournament but was later changed to under-21.

FAM abolished the Youth Cup and changed the President’s Cup to an under-20 affair three years ago.

Many footballing legends, including Mokhtar Dahari and R. Arumugam, as well as current stars, such as Amirulhadi Zainal and Safee Sali, have played in the President’s Cup