Football Association of Penang (FAP) vice-president Gary Nair has blasted Gerakan for its “baseless attacks” over the state government’s RM6 million sponsorship.

Nair called the criticism by state Gerakan secretary Oh Tong Keong against FAP as “idiotic” and without fact, and the accusation of cronyism related to FAP president and developer Nazir Ariff as “serious”.

“Oh is hitting below the belt when he made the serious cronyism accusation against Nazir,” Nair ( photo ) told Malaysiakini .

“Yes, Nazir is a prominent developer in Penang but Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng made it clear to us not to have politicians on board the FAP unlike other states, so that politics will not tarnish the games,” he added.

He was referring to Oh’s comment yesterday that the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAH), which sponsors FAP, should have instead spent the millions on subsidising water bills.

Oh also questioned if cronyism was involved in funding FAP as its president, Nazir, was a well-known developer in Penang.

Oh’s remarks came following the handing over of RM2 million, on top of RM4 million previously donated by PBAH to the FAP on Thursday.

‘Penang stadiums packed now’

Nair said Lim, PBAH’s chairperson, had only recently decided to support the FAP after pleas from the football fraternity in Penang for the state government to assist the development of the sport.

Nair said Lim was told that Penang used to be the “kingpin” of football in the country, that there are two of the best stadiums which were becoming “white elephants”.

“Penang football fans were starved of mainstream football for the past few years. These days, the stadiums are packed with fans donning state colours,” Nair said proudly.

Nair denied any hanky-panky in the RM6 million sponsorship, saying Lim ( photo ) has placed strict conditions that all monies must be accounted for and audited.

Together with well-known architect Lawrence Loh, Nair said they were roped in by Lim to help FAP regain its foothold in Malaysian football.

“As a veteran who has been involved in football in Penang for more than 25 years, let me tell Oh that this is the first time in history all accounts are audited on time, and this happened under the presidency of Nazir and his executive committee members who are not paid a single sen..

“Nazir and his company has already pumped in millions into the sports body under the company’s corporate social responsibility programme, and we are proud to have, for the first time, our own bus and van for travel purposes,” he added.

Nair claimed in the past, it was well known that FAP used to owe its players and staff salaries for months, which resulted in some players being involved in corruption.

Aiming for super league

He said Lim’s target for Penang football is to get promoted to super league and to entertain the Penangites, who were starved of good sports in the past.

Nair reminded Oh that the former president of FAP was none other than Koh Tsu Koon, former Gerakan president and chief minister of Penang

“With due respect to Koh, he too had sourced for funds for FAP, and the monies came from the Penang Development Fund

“Oh, please do us a favour and question instead about the RM42 million debts of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB and not the petty RM6 million used to entertain the people of Penang,” Nair stressed.

Meanwhile, Nair said the sponsorship by the PBAH is among the lowest of the states and clubs participating in Malaysian football leagues.

Nair pointed out that some teams have an annual budget between RM30 to RM100 million.

“Football is a community sports. Oh must bear in mind that this money is not only for the state team but also for football development, like running the local league of more than 50 teams - the biggest in the country,” Nair said.

“On top of this, we have to maintain the under 21 team ,the youth, futsal, and women’s soccer teams, and pay for the usage of the stadiums and training grounds, referee fees, and staff and players’ salaries.

“We also conduct the state football academy for children below 12 years, (so) a few thousand people benefit from the state grant to FAP,” he stressed.