By Doreen Ling
KUCHING, Nov 10: Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has questioned why the Malaysia FA Cup final between Kuching City FC (KCFC) and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) is being held at the latter’s home ground and not at a neutral venue instead.
“I am also puzzled as to why the final is not being held at a neutral venue. Why does it have to be in Johor? It is not that we are afraid, but I feel something is not quite right about it.
“The final should be held at a third-party venue to ensure a fairer playing field. It could be in Sabah or Pahang, for example, if the Bukit Jalil National Stadium is unavailable.
“Nevertheless, the decision has already been made. I believe Kuching City will not be intimidated. Wherever they are asked to play, they will go out and compete. I hope they will put up a good fight in the final.,” he said at a press conference on Manggung Di Muara 2026 at Baitulmakmur here today.
He also expressed how proud he was of KCFC for reaching the Malaysia FA Cup Final for the first time despite being a relatively new club that was established about 10 years ago.
“I am extremely proud of the support shown during the second-leg semi-final the other day. The stadium was almost full, and the support from the fans was tremendous.
“Congratulations to Kuching City FC for reaching such an impressive milestone and bringing pride not only to Kuching but to the whole of Sarawak, especially its football supporters,” he said.
At the same time, he called on Sarawakians to come to Johor to support the KCFC, especially those who live in the state or in nearby areas like Melaka.
“As far as I know, AirBorneo does not yet operate flights to Senai Airport (in Johor), so getting there may be a little difficult. Furthermore, AirBorneo is still expanding its operations and does not have a large fleet of aircraft yet. If chartered flights were arranged to Senai, it could affect the airline’s other scheduled services.
“However, I would like to encourage Sarawakians living in Johor, including those in Pasir Gudang, to come out in large numbers to support the team. I know there are many Sarawakians in Pasir Gudang, including a Sarawak community headman and a Sarawak Community Centre.
“Those living in Melaka should also make the trip to Johor. I know there are many Sarawakians there too, particularly those serving in the military. Drive down to Johor and give your full support to our Sarawak team.
“The final will be held in January, and if nothing prevents me from attending, God willing, I will also be there to support the team,” he said.
On Sunday (Nov 8), KCFC defeated Selangor to advance to the final of the Malaysia FA Cup for the first time. — DayakDaily
