Former Selangor FC Footballers' 27-Year Wait For Free Apartment Finally Comes True
It was a long, agonising wait for the squad, some of whom are no longer around to witness the pledge being fulfilled.
After a 27-year wait, each member of the 1995 Selangor football team will finally receive an apartment early next year that the state government promised them after they won the 1995 Malaysia Cup
An apartment unit in the Idaman Abadi Apartments in Batu 18, Hulu Langat, valued at RM250,000, would be given to each of the 26 former players from the 1995 Selangor squad, including the assistant coach, goalie coach, physiotherapist, and kitman.
A lucky draw and the signing of the property handover agreement by the former footballers took place at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Building foyer yesterday, 8 December, reported Bernama.
The team was promised a plot of land as a reward for defeating Pahang 1-0 in the Malaysia Cup final at the Shah Alam Stadium on 11 November 1995.
The triumph ended a nine-year drought, and the team won the trophy for the 28th time overall.
After lifting up the trophy, the then-Selangor menteri besar, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, promised the players and team representatives a 0.4-hectare plot of land each.
Image via Grandstand Kita
However, somewhere along the way, the squad members were told that the land promised by the state government had "vanished"
The party responsible for the matter could also not be traced.
"Previously, the (prize) promised was recorded in the minutes of the state government meeting, so there was a black-and-white (written document). So we were confident that we would get it," explained former striker Ismail Ibrahim.
The 59-year-old, who is now coaching the UiTM FC team, went on to say that, since 2019, the group started gathering newspaper clippings in scrapbooks and approached Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari for help "because only he and the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, can access the records of state government meetings."
According to Selangor Journal, the issue was discussed between former players and state executive councillor (exco) for housing and urban wellbeing Rodziah Ismail on 31 May this year.
The state government, together with the Selangor Housing and Real Estate Board, then decided to offer the squad apartment units under the Rumah Selangorku Idaman project as replacements.
Image via Lembaga Perumahan dan Hartanah Selangor
It was a long, agonising wait for the squad, some of whom are no longer around to witness the pledge being fulfilled
49-year-old Siti Mariam Sathawee, whose late husband, Anuar Abu Bakar, was a player on the team, wept upon hearing the good news yesterday, 8 December.
Up until his passing from liver cancer in May 2019, Siti Mariam said that Anuar fought relentlessly alongside his squad for the promise to be upheld.
"My late husband tried to meet several people to sort out the promised reward, but to no avail. He once confided his disappointment in me," she was reported as saying by Bernama.
"I have discussed with the children about this (present) house. They left it to me to decide. It will be rented out or given to my children."
Image via New Straits Times
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