KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah FA is unaware that its player Ronny Harun is deserting the team to join treble winners Kedah for the new season. Its Executive Secretary Harry Baking said that they have not received any word from Ronny nor Kedah about the matter.
“It’s news to me,” said Harry when contacted to comment on a national newspaper – Berita Harian – report that the former national defender will don Kedah colours for the new season.
“It is normal procedure that if any player or team that wish to sign a player from elsewhere, the player or the particular team need to notify or inform the employer of the said player.
“In this case, Ronny is still a Sabah player because his contract will only end at the end of this month. And it would be wrong for him (Ronny) to start training with Kedah when he is still contracted to the FA.
“On the part of Kedah, it is not right for them to allow Ronny to start training with the team where they are fully aware that the player is still under contract with his previous team.
“But I don’t have to elaborate further on this matter because we don’t know how true the said report is. But if it is true, we will deal with it professionally according to the book.
For the record, Ronny is among the 14 players that have been retained by the Sabah FA for the new season.
And if it is true that he is currently training with Kedah while he is still contracted to the Sabah FA, he could be in hot soup and could even be suspended for the upcoming season for breach of contract.
Harry went on to say that they will not try to stop any of its players from joining other teams in the country.
“There is no point of retaining players who have no heart to play for the State. It is our principle only to sign players who are willing to sacrifice and commit themselves to the State team.
In its edition yesterday, Berita Harian, quoted the Kedah coach Azraai Abdullah that they are putting high hopes on their two local import signings – Ronny and Zainol Fitri of Kelantan.
Azraai went on to say that Ronny could have donned Kedah colours two seasons ago but due to family problems it did not materialise.
For the record, Ronny is among the highest paid local players in the Sabah team, where he is believed to receive a monthly income in the region of RM12,000.
