Liga Perdana 1

Liga Perdana 1

Founded	4 April 1998;24 years ago (1998-04-04)
Folded	2 August 2003;18 years ago (2003-08-02)
Country	Malaysia
Other club(s) from	Brunei
Confederation	AFC
Number of teams	13 (from 2003)
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Liga Perdana 2
Domestic cup(s)	Piala FA
League cup(s)	Piala Malaysia
Last champions	Perak (2003)
Most championships	Pulau Pinang (2 titles) Perak (2 titles)
TV partners	RTM
Current: 2003 Liga Perdana 1

Liga Perdana 1 or Liga Perdana Satu (English: Premier League 1 or Premier League One) was the nation's top-tier professional football league in Malaysia that operated from 1998 to 2003.

The league was formed and established in 1998 to succeed the Liga Perdana (1994–97) after FAM decision to allows clubs other than state FAs to compete in the professional level league in Malaysia. It was then succeeded in 2004 by the formation of Liga Super by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). The first game was played on 4 April 1998. ^[1]

The last champions of Liga Perdana 1 is Perak which won the league for second straight season. ^[2] Since the league inception, four teams has been the champion of Liga Perdana 1 where Perak, Pulau Pinang (2), Pahang and Selangor each wins one time.

History

Founding

A football league competition involving the representative sides of the state football associations was first held in Malaysia in 1979. When it began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Malaysia Cup. It was not until 1982 that a League Cup was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions. Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right. ^[3]

Initially the only teams allowed to participate in the Liga Perdana were the state FA's sides, teams representing the Armed Forces and the Police, and teams representing the neighbouring countries of Singapore and Brunei (though the Football Association of Singapore pulled out of the Malaysian League after the 1994 season following a dispute with the Football Association of Malaysia over gate receipts, and has not been involved since).

Only in 1997 where promotion from Malaysia FAM Cup to the professional Malaysian League was introduced for the first time. Johor FC and NS Chempaka FC were the first two sides to be promoted that year to Liga Perdana 2 for 1998 season.

In 1998, Liga Perdana was divided into two divisions consist of Liga Perdana 1 and Liga Perdana 2. ^{[4] [5]} During this time both of the division was still just referred as Malaysian League as a whole.

During 1998, Liga Perdana 1 consisted of 12 teams while Liga Perdana 2 had 8 teams. ^[4] 10 teams that previously qualified for Malaysia Cup which played in 1997 Liga Perdana were automatically qualified to Liga Perdana 1. The other two spots were filled by a playoff round of the 5 lowest teams in 1997 Liga Perdana and the Malaysian Olympic football team. The lowest four teams from playoff round were then put into Liga Perdana 2 alongside Police, Malaysia Military, Negeri Sembilan Chempaka F.C and PKN Johor. At this time the league still consisted of semi-pro team where each team was allowed to register 25 players where 12 players must be a professional for Liga Perdana 1 and a minimum of six professional players in Liga Perdana 2. ^[4]

Both leagues continued until 2003 when Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) decided to privatise the league for 2004 season onwards where Liga Super was formed. Teams in Liga Perdana 1 and Liga Perdana 2 was then was put through a qualification and playoff to be promoted into Liga Super. Teams that failed the qualification was put into the new second-tier league, the Liga Premier.

Teams

In its inaugural season 12 teams competing in the league. The teams were based from 10 best performing teams from 1997 Liga Perdana season. Penang and Olympic 2000 joins the league to complete the 12 teams list after winning the qualifying tournament. ^[6]

Teams competing in 1998 season

12 teams competing in the first season of Liga Perdana 1. ^[6]

• Penang
• Pahang
• Brunei
• Kedah
• Sabah
• Sarawak
• Perak
• Kuala Lumpur
• Negeri Sembilan
• Selangor
• Perlis
• Olympic 2000

League Table:-

1.Penang - 41 PTS (1998 Liga Perdana 1 Champions)

2.Pahang - 40 PTS

3.Brunei - 35 PTS

4.Kedah - 34 PTS

5.Sabah - 31 PTS

6.Sarawak - 30 PTS

7.Perak - 29 PTS

8.Kuala Lumpur - 29 PTS

9.Negeri Sembilan - 27 PTS

10.Selangor - 25 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

11.Perlis - 25 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

12.Olympic 2000 - 18 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

Teams competing in 1999 season

10 teams competing in the second season of Liga Perdana 1. Terengganu was promoted while Selangor, Perlis and Olympic 2000 were relegated to Liga Perdana 2. ^[7]

• Pahang
• Penang
• Negeri Sembilan
• Sabah
• Kuala Lumpur
• Sarawak
• Brunei
• Terengganu
• Perak
• Kedah

League Table:-

1.Pahang - 34 PTS (1999 Liga Perdana 1 Champions)

2.Penang - 31 PTS

3.Negeri Sembilan - 29 PTS

4.Sabah - 29 PTS

5.Kuala Lumpur - 28 PTS

6.Sarawak - 27 PTS

7.Brunei - 25 PTS

8.Terengganu - 23 PTS

9.Perak - 23 PTS

10.Kedah - 21 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

Teams competing in 2000 season

12 teams competing in the third season of Liga Perdana 1. Perlis and Johor were promoted while Kedah was relegated to Liga Perdana 2. ^[8]

• Selangor
• Penang
• Perak
• Terengganu
• Sarawak
• Negeri Sembilan
• Pahang
• Kuala Lumpur
• Perlis
• Johor
• Sabah
• Brunei

League Table:-

1.Selangor - 45 PTS (2000 Liga Perdana 1 Champions)

2.Penang - 43 PTS

3.Perak - 41 PTS

4.Terengganu - 35 PTS

5.Sarawak - 35 PTS

6.Negeri Sembilan - 33 PTS

7.Pahang - 31 PTS

8.Kuala Lumpur - 29 PTS

9.Perlis - 25 PTS

10.Johor - 20 PTS

11.Sabah - 16 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

12.Brunei - 11 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

Teams competing in 2001 season

12 teams competing in the fourth season of Liga Perdana 1. Malacca and Kelantan were promoted while Sabah and Brunei were relegated to Liga Perdana 2. ^[9]

• Penang
• Terengganu
• Kelantan
• Selangor
• Pahang
• Perlis
• Perak
• Negeri Sembilan
• Sarawak
• Kuala Lumpur
• Malacca
• Johor

League Table:-

1.Penang - 50 PTS (2001 Liga Perdana 1 Champions)

2.Terengganu - 41 PTS

3.Kelantan - 38 PTS

4.Selangor - 34 PTS

5.Pahang - 32 PTS

6.Perlis - 31 PTS

7.Perak - 29 PTS

8.Negeri Sembilan - 27 PTS

9.Sarawak - 24 PTS

10.Kuala Lumpur - 23 PTS

11.Malacca - 22 PTS

12.Johor - 10 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

Teams competing in 2002 season

14 teams competing in the fifth season of Liga Perdana 1. Johor FC, Sabah and NS Chempaka were promoted while Johor was relegated to Liga Perdana 2. ^[10]

• Perak
• Selangor
• Sabah
• Penang
• Terengganu
• Johor FC
• Perlis
• Sarawak
• Pahang
• Kelantan
• Malacca
• NS Chempaka
• Kuala Lumpur
• Negeri Sembilan

League Table:-

1.Perak - 60 PTS (2002 Liga Perdana 1 Champions)

2.Selangor - 56 PTS

3.Sabah - 47 PTS

4.Penang - 47 PTS

5.Terengganu - 41 PTS

6.Johor FC - 41 PTS

7.Perlis - 41 PTS

8.Sarawak - 34 PTS

9.Pahang - 31 PTS

10.Kelantan - 30 PTS

11.Malacca - 27 PTS

12.NS Chempaka - 19 PTS

13.Kuala Lumpur - 16 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

14.Negeri Sembilan - 16 PTS (Relegated to Liga Perdana 2)

Teams competing in 2003 season

13 teams competing in the six season of Liga Perdana 1 after NS Chempaka pulled out from the league. Kedah and TMFC were promoted while Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan were relegated to Liga Perdana 2. ^[11]

• Perak
• Kedah
• Perlis
• Sabah
• Pahang
• Penang
• Johor FC
• Sarawak
• TMFC
• Kelantan
• Malacca
• Selangor
• Terengganu

League Table:-

1.Perak - 47 PTS (2003 Liga Perdana 1 Champions)

2.Kedah - 45 PTS

3.Perlis - 45 PTS

4.Sabah - 38 PTS

5.Pahang - 36 PTS

6.Penang - 36 PTS

7.Johor FC - 34 PTS (Relegation Play-Off) (Relegated to Liga Premier)

8.Sarawak - 34 PTS (Relegation Play-Off) (Stay in the league)

9.TMFC - 32 PTS (Relegation Play-Off) (Relegated to Liga Premier)

10.Kelantan - 28 PTS (Relegation Play-Off) (Relegated to Liga Premier)

11.Malacca - 20 PTS (Relegated to Liga Premier)

12.Selangor - 18 PTS (Relegated to Liga Premier)

13.Terengganu - 13 PTS (Relegated to Liga Premier)

Champions

Below is the list of champions of Liga Perdana from 1998 until 2003.

Year	Champions	Runners-up	Third place	Leading goalscorer	Goals
1998	Penang	Pahang	Brunei	Vyacheslav Melnikov (Pahang)	17
1999	Pahang	Penang	Negeri Sembilan	Azman Adnan (Penang)	13
2000	Selangor	Penang	Perak	Azizul Kamaluddin (Pahang)	12
2001	Penang (2)	Terengganu	Kelantan	Norizam Ali Hassan (Perak)	13
2002	Perak	Selangor	Sabah	Muhamad Khalid Jamlus (Perak)	17
2003	Perak (2)	Kedah	Perlis	Phillimon Chepita (Perlis)	23

References

1. "1998 Dunhill Liga Perdana 1". Nifty. Archived from the original on 21 January 2001. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
2. Karel Stokkermans (10 August 2017). "Malaysia - List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 28 February 2018.
3. Peter Wilson; Benson Sim (28 July 2006). "The demand for Semi-Pro League football in Malaysia 1989–91: a panel data approach". Applied Economics. 27: 131–138. doi:10.1080/00036849500000015.
4. "Pemain Malaysia bebas ke Brunei". Bernama (in Malay). Utusan Malaysia. 11 January 1998. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
5. Zainu'l Azhar Ash'ari (13 June 1998). "Demam Piala Dunia rasuk Liga Perdana". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
6. Mikael Jönsson (7 January 2001). "Malaysia 1998". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
7. Andre Zlotkowski (7 January 2001). "Malaysia 1999". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
8. Ian Griffiths; Mohd Rashidan (10 April 2001). "Malaysia First Level ("Premier One") 2000". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
9. Ian Griffiths; Mohd Rashidan (3 February 2002). "Malaysia 2001". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
10. Ian Griffiths; Hamdan Saaid (5 February 2003). "Malaysia 2002". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
11. Hamdan Saaid (17 February 2004). "Malaysia 2003". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.