KUALA LUMPUR :Malaysia's sports minister has called for the country's soccer clubs to be managed by parties with genuine financial and managerial skills to boost investments in the domestic league and safeguard player welfare, state media reported on Tuesday. Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the failure of some domestic clubs to manage fundamental responsibilities, such as paying salaries, has likely undermined efforts to attract and retain sponsors to support Malaysia's football development, state news agency Bernama reported. "Football has a large audience, which is why I believe that to convince sponsors, all they want to see is how a club is run, how they pay salaries or look after the welfare of players," Yeoh was quoted as saying. "I urge that those who are not capable should not touch it, let others take over. Sometimes, there are those who cannot manage but still want to hold on to power, preventing others from stepping in.” Malaysian soccer has suffered financial hardships in recent years, leading to some clubs being penalised, relegated or withdrawing from the league. The Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia has said many professional clubs struggle to pay salaries on time. Last month, Yeoh urged Malaysian soccer authorities to undertake a sweeping overhaul of the sport’s ecosystem, and emphasised that comprehensive solutions rather than piecemeal fixes were required to address problems. Yeoh said the governing body of the Malaysian Football League must hold discussions with stakeholders to ensure a more structured and sustainable league moving forward.