Public Holiday Announced Following Darul Ta’zim’s Malaysian Cup Finals Triumph

The Johor state government in Malaysia has announced that Monday will be a public holiday in honour of Johor Darul Ta’zim’s (JDT) progression to the Malaysia Cup final, where they will face the seemingly outmatched Sri Pahang at Bukit Jalil.

JDT is vying for their third consecutive treble, having already secured victories in both the Super League and FA Cup. Meanwhile, Sri Pahang is on the hunt for their first domestic trophy since they lifted the FA Cup in 2018.

Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi, the Chief Minister of Johor, made the holiday announcement late Thursday, aiming to galvanise supporters ahead of the cup final, which had seen slow ticket sales in the preceding week.

Fortunately, ticket sales have picked up significantly since then, with local reports indicating that 60% of the venue’s seats have now been sold. The Malaysian Football League is working towards filling at least 80% of the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, which has a capacity of 85,500.

“With our four Malaysia Cup titles from 2017, 2019, 2022, and now 2023 already in the bag, the quest for a fifth championship is truly within our grasp,” said Bin Ghazi.

“Let’s rally together, Southern Tigers supporters – let’s fill the Bukit Jalil National Stadium to demonstrate our unwavering support and become the 12th man on the pitch. Here’s to victory for JDT!”

He further invited JDT fans to a celebratory event at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday, branding it a grand celebration in recognition of the club’s impressive streak of 11 consecutive Malaysian Super League titles.

On Wednesday, Mohd Shazli Shaik Mohd, the acting CEO of MFL, attributed the recent surge in ticket sales to aggressive promotional efforts by both teams, which included incentives like a lucky draw featuring prizes such as motorcycles, iPhones, and Apple Watches.

Furthermore, Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh, has urged the country’s football authorities to initiate a comprehensive overhaul of the sport’s infrastructure and has called on the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) to conduct a thorough evaluation of Malaysian football.