ALLEGATIONS THAT JDT IS PUBLIC FUNDED INACCURATE - ONN HAFIZ

JOHOR BAHRU, March 8 (Bernama) -- Allegations that a large portion of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) football club’s revenue supposedly comes from public or government funds is inaccurate and misleading, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said.

He said references to the Johor State Sports Council as well as government-related channels in the club’s financial statements are a normal administrative procedure within the country’s sports sponsorship ecosystem.

“Many sponsorships from private companies are channelled through the Sports Council for governance and tax-relief purposes. Therefore, the figures cited by certain parties cannot be equated with direct government funding for the club’s operations.

“At the same time, any government grants or contributions that are channelled are specifically for grassroots sports development, including youth football development programmes, district-level tournaments, as well as strengthening the state football ecosystem through the Johor State Football Association (PBNJ) and district associations,” he said in a Facebook post tonight.

Therefore, he said, the funds are not channelled for the operational purposes of the professional JDT team.

“The State Government hopes all parties will be more responsible and prudent in verifying facts before making any accusations or conclusions.

“The spread of inaccurate information can not only mislead the public, but also potentially undermine ongoing efforts to develop a healthy and professional sports ecosystem in the state of Johor,” he added.

-- BERNAMA