2012 Malaysia Premier League

Astro Liga Perdana Malaysia

Season	2012
← 2011 2013 →

The 2012 Malaysia Premier League (also known as Astro Liga Super Malaysia 2012 in Malay and the Astro Premier League Malaysia due to the sponsorship from Astro) is the 9th season of the Premier League Malaysia since its rebranding from the previous format.

The league is currently the second-level football league of Malaysia. PKNS FC are the reigning 2011 Malaysia Premier League champions and currently play in the top flight of Malaysian football, Malaysia Super League.

Teams

A total of twelve teams will contest the league, including eight sides from the 2011 Malaysia Premier League season, two newly promoted teams from Malaysia FAM Cup 2011 and two relegated teams from the 2011 Super League Malaysia season.

Pahang FA and Perlis FA were relegated from 2011 Super League Malaysia after finishing the season in the bottom two places of the league table.

2011 FAM Cup League Malaysia champions Betaria FC and runners-up MBJB FC secured direct promotion to the Malaysia Premier League.

• Pahang FA (relegated from 2011 Super League Malaysia)
• Perlis FA (relegated from 2011 Super League Malaysia)
• PDRM FA
• Johor FA
• Sime Darby FC
• USM FC
• ATM FA
• Muar Municipal Council FC
• Pos Malaysia FC
• Harimau Muda B
• Betaria FC¹
• MBJB FC¹

¹ - promoted from Malaysia FAM League

Johor FA
MBJB FC

MP Muar FC

USM FC

Pahang

Pos FC,
ATM FA,
Harimau Muda B

PDRM FA

Perlis

Betaria FC

Locations of the 2011 Malaysia Premier League teams

Team summaries

Stadia

Team	Location	Stadium	Stadium capacity1
ATM FA	Selangor	Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Stadium	&1000000000002500000000025,000
Johor FA	Johor	Tan Sri Dato Hj Hassan Yunos Stadium	&1000000000003000000000030,000
Harimau Muda U-19	Selangor	Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Stadium	&1000000000002500000000025,000
Sime Darby FC	Selangor	Petaling Jaya Stadium	&1000000000002500000000025,000
Muar Municipal Council FC	Johor	Pasir Gudang Corporation Stadium	&1000000000001500000000015,000
PDRM FA	Negeri Sembilan	Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium	&1000000000003000000000030,000
Pahang FA	Pahang	Darulmakmur Stadium	&1000000000003500000000035,000
Pos Malaysia FC	Selangor	Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Stadium	&1000000000002500000000025,000
Perlis FA	Perlis	Utama Stadium	&1000000000002000000000020,000
Betaria FC	Negeri Sembilan	Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium	&1000000000004000000000040,000
MBJB FC	Johor	Tan Sri Dato Hj Hassan Yunos Stadium	&1000000000003000000000030,000
USM FC	Penang	USM Athletics Stadium	&10000000000000800000000800+

• ¹ Correct as of end of 2011 Malaysia Premier League season
• ⁺ 800 for covered terrace and unknown number for 'open' hill slope

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team	Coach	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
ATM FA	B. Sathianathan	Rozi, FatruraziFatrurazi Rozi	Kappa
Johor FA	Mohamed, AzmiAzmi Mohamed	Adimel, Mohd AffandyMohd Affandy Adimel	Joma	Kulim Berhad
Harimau Muda B	Ibrahim, IsmailIsmail Ibrahim	Mohd Noor, Mohd Syafiq ShalihinMohd Syafiq Shalihin Mohd Noor	Nike
Sime Darby FC	Zakaria, IsmailIsmail Zakaria	Ismail, Mohd NorMohd Nor Ismail		Sime Darby
Muar Municipal Council FC	Joseph, JacobJacob Joseph	Abdul Kadir, ZainurinZainurin Abdul Kadir	Kronos	Interpacific
PDRM FA	Thaiyanathan, K.K. Thaiyanathan	Rusly, Mohd SaifulMohd Saiful Rusly
Perlis FA	Jánós Krécská	Azmizi Azmi	Kika	Yayasan Pok Kassim
Pos Malaysia FC	Mat Aris, Mat ZanMat Zan Mat Aris	Kram, ManopsakManopsak Kram	Kika	Pos Malaysia
Pahang FA	Dollah Salleh	Jalaluddin Jaafar	Lotto	Genting Group
Betaria FC	Hong Seng, LeongLeong Hong Seng
MBJB FC	Selamat, EdresEdres Selamat
USM FC	Veloo, S.S. Veloo	Mat Isa, Mohd Fariss AzlanMohd Fariss Azlan Mat Isa	Joma	USM & Asmana

Nike has produced a new match ball, named the T90 Tracer, which will be electric blue, black and white and also a high-visibility version in yellow. Additionally, Lotto will provide officials with new kits in black, yellow, and red for the season.

Foreign players

The professionalism of some teams have also been questioned. Most Malaysia Premier League teams view foreign players as a necessity and as a result, most teams usually fill up their rosters with unknown foreigners. Teams usually sign foreigners based on their performances in pre-season trials. It is not uncommon for foreign players to be released after just two or three matches or be kept on the sidelines for an entire season.

The last case of unprofessional conduct involved Ivan Ziga, a Slovakian player who plays for Sarawak FA. Ivan Ziga claims his contract was terminated nine-months early without any explanation. He also claimed he was not paid. He took his plight to the Football Association of Malaysia but received no reply until Ivan Ziga threatened to take the case to FIFA.

Ivan Ziga's case is not uncommon in Malaysia, with most other cases involving African players who are either not paid or left stranded when their contracts are terminated early without any proper explanation given by teams.

Foreign players are to come back to the league starting from the 2012 season onwards. All foreign players must obtain International Transfer Certificate from their previous national football/soccer governing body that their previous clubs affiliated before they can be register with FAM to plays in Malaysia Premier League.

The early editions of Division 2 League, M-League, Premier 2 League and Malaysia Premier League used the same format for foreign players as the previous edition of second layer league in Malaysia, which allows club to have 3 foreign players from any countries without further restrictions. Further up, clubs can employ as many as 4 foreign players and only 3 of them are allowed to play together in a match.

Guidelines on Hiring of Foreign Players for the M-League

1. Each team in the M-League can employ a maximum of TWO (2) professional Foreign Players subject to the FAM Regulations.

2. Teams participating in AFC Cup 2012 can employ one (1) extra Foreign Player, making it a total of three (3) Foreign Players, but the third Foreign Player is only allowed to play for the AFC Cup Tournament.

3. All the teams seeking to employ foreign players must seek clearance from the Vetting Committee.

4. There is no restriction as to the country of origin of the Foreign Player but subject to the Malaysian Immigration Law.

5. The Foreign Player to be selected should comply with the following playing status:-

- Only Foreign Players playing in Division 2 and above are allowed from the Confederations listed below:

• Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)
• Confederation of African Football (CAF)
• Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF)
• South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL)
  

- Only Foreign Players playing in Division 1 are allowed from the Confederations listed below:

• Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
• Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
  

- However, only current National Players from countries with world ranking higher than Malaysia’s ranking in FIFA’s World Ranking listed on 24th August 2011 is allowed to play in M-League 2012.

6. All Foreign Players to be employed must be certified medically fit and free from illnesses such as HIV Aids, Hepatitis A, B and C by a Malaysia Hospital approved by FAM or State Football Associations.

7. The Foreign Player must bring together his medical records and a copy of his contract from the previous club or loan agreement between players and the club concerned.

8. An agreement contract of minimum SIX (6) months, shall be drawn out by the Football Association of Malaysia, and will be signed between the foreign player and the State Football Association or Clubs.

9. Teams can employ a Foreign Player for a maximum of two (2) years subject to renewal based on performance at the end of the first year.

10. If the Foreign Player wants to continue playing for the same team after two (2) years, then he will have to appeal to the Vetting Committee.

11. Foreign Player who has played in one season of the M-League, either full or halfway, will not be able to play for another team in the M-League in the remainder of the season and the entire duration of the next season.

12. A minimum monthly salary of RM2,500.00 (RINGGIT MALAYSIA TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED ONLY), has been set for each Foreign Player.

13. State Football Associations are only allowed to deal regarding hiring matters with FIFA / FAM Agents or parents, lawyers, siblings, spouse of the Foreign Players.

14. The additional perks may include suitable accommodation and a car for Foreign Players.

15. The quantum for the match bonuses shall be agreed upon between the Foreign Player and the State Football Association or Club.

16. The State Football Association or Club intending to hire a Foreign Player must have a healthy budget and submit deposit to FAM for each Foreign Player hired based on the calculation below:

Deposit = Total Salary (one month gross salary) x 3

17. Foreign Players who are playing or who have played in AFF South East Asian League have to complete a cooling-off period of two years, where their last Contract must have ended before or on 7th December 2009 before they can be hired by State Football Association or Club to play in M-League 2012.

18. All the Foreign Players, Team Manager, Coaches and the State Football Secretary which hires the Foreign Players will have to undergo a compulsory pre-season briefing conducted by the Vetting Committee.

19. All matters not stipulated under this guidelines, any exemption to the guideline or unforeseen circumstances and interpretation of the guidelines will be determined by the vetting committee whose decision shall be final and binding.

20. In the event of any dispute on the interpretation of these Guidelines, the decisions of the Vetting Committee of the Football Association of Malaysia shall be final.

2012 Foreign Players

Club	Visa 1	Visa 2	Visa 3	Visa 4	Visa 5	Non-Visa Foreign
Pahang FA						None
Perlis FA						None
PDRM FA						None
Johor FA
Sime Darby FC						None
USM FC						None
ATM FA						None
Muar Municipal Council FC						None
Pos Malaysia FC						None
Harimau Muda B						None
Betaria FC						None
MBJB FC						None

League table

Results

Season statistics

Top scorers References External links Football Association of Malaysia Malaysian Football League Video and Highlight History of football in Malaysia SoccerDB: Malaysia Premier League News Football Malaysia Sokernet Sokerleaks