Better days await
IT is not all doom and gloom for the Penang football team which is currently languishing at the bottom of the Premier League.The Football Association of Penang (FAP) has received more than RM2mil from sponsorship deals.
This was announced during an FAP fundraising dinner at Equatorial Hotel on Saturday which was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The boost came from, among others, the Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS) which inked a collaboration deal with FAP worth RM1mil.
AUCMS will provide FAP with financial aid, expertise in administration, professional management, medical assistance and technical support, and a bus to ferry players to away matches.
Primomed Resources Sdn Bhd, a company dealing in hospital equipment and medicine, sponsored RM150,000 while RM1mil was raised from the dinner.
The money will be used to fund expenses of the state team until the end of the current season.
The night also saw the unveiling of the state team’s new jersey bearing the 1Malaysia tagline. Models later wore the jersey to show those in attendance.
In his speech, FAP president Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said the event signall- ed a “new beginning” for the association and the state football team.
“I have to apologise that we are at the bottom of the Premier League’s standing at the moment. I hope things will get better after this. With all the assistance, our state team is moving towards professionalism,” he said.
Najib, in his speech, praised Zahrain for taking the initiative to rebrand the state football team by associating it with the 1Malaysia concept.
Also at the dinner were Penang Yang Di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, his consort Toh Puan Majimor Shariff and former FAP president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Others at the dinner were AUCMS executive chairman Datuk Dr Zainuddin Wazir, Primomed Resources chairman Datuk Syed Hussian Al Junid and managing director Shaharuddin Shariff.
The state team has lost all its seven matches in the league.
By TAN SIN CHOW. thestar.com.my
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