Disgruntled Selangor supporters have taken matters into their own hands in an effort to save the Red Giants by launching a campaign aimed at bringing together 15,000 fans to initiate a fan-owned club ownership.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao are just some of the elite European teams where the fans calls the shots on all aspects of the club organisation.
The #RevampSelangorFootball campaign, conceptualised by the Selangor Ultras, is looking to follow that same successful module to revive their sinking team, who have been riddled with internal politicking.
The Selangor state government has yet to release any funds to the team after the club's current executive members decided to refuse a privatisation notion.
Their financial woes were compounded after the team were also denied use of their Shah Alam Stadium home, with the Malaysia Super League (MSL) season to kick off on Jan. 20.
The incensed officials further escalated matters when they tried to block sister club PKNS FC from competing in the MSL, despite the Red Ants gaining promotion from the second tier Premier League.
'Tiada bajet untuk FASB musim depan' #TheRedGiant
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While PKNS found a lifeline to compete under the Selangor Malays Football Association banner, 2015 Malaysia Cup champions Selangor are left depleted in almost all areas ahead of the new season.
Most importantly, they are without the RM 15 million needed to run the club, which is the amount the fans are trying to raise, through an elite 15,000 fan membership.
Each member will fork out RM 1,000 for an annual membership. They will receive a season pass plus one nomination and one vote to elect the club's executive committee members. Among the criteria interested members must be willing to fulfill is rejecting the appointment of individuals who have been, or are currently, members of the FAS executive committee. The petition also called on the fans to refuse any help from the state government.
"Decline any offers from the state government funding to the future Selangor [Super League] team in order to develop a club that practices financial stability," it read.
More than 600 fans have pledged to raise funds for the team.
The Selangor management, meanwhile, will meet the players on Saturday to discuss their choices. Fourteen players from the team who finished fifth in the 2016 MSL are still on contract, including Indonesian winger Andik Vermansyah, and Malaysia national striker Ahmad Hazwan Bakri.
Selangor have won 33 Malaysia Cup titles, more than any other Malaysian side. However, they are without a Malaysia Super League title since 2010.