Keon welcomes additional ASEAN slot for foreign player quota

Khairul Helmi Johari believes the new five foreign player quota for the Malaysian Super League will be beneficial to Malaysian football.

Since a ban on signing foreign players was lifted in 2012, the M-League’s foreign player policy has changed numerous times.

For the past three seasons, up to four foreign players including one from any AFC member nation can take the field in all domestic competitions except the FAM League.

In the upcoming 2018 season, Football Malaysia LLP will allow Malaysian Super League teams to register an additional player from the ASEAN region – with a minimum of 30 international caps for their respective countries – in an effort to drum up the top division’s regional appeal and commercial values.

Although the new implementation has received concerns of reduced playing opportunities for local players, the Kedah captain thinks it is not all doom and gloom.

"We need to look at it positively," he told the media during the launch of adidas Predator 18 in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

The new adidas Predator 18 has been officially launched in Malaysia! Here are Afiq Fazail, Izham Tarmizi and Badhri Radzi with the boots. pic.twitter.com/Fp5sEAUFMA

— Stadium Astro (@stadiumastro) November 28, 2017

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"It will provide healthy competition for local players to step up and fight for a place in the starting line-up.

"Furthermore, it is not compulsory for every team to have five foreign players, and teams need to spend within their means."

Meanwhile, it seems that Khairul will remain with the 2017 FA Cup winners for another season as both sides are eager to extend his contract.

"I have held discussions with a few Super League teams, but my priority is to remain with Kedah because they are my state team," he said.

"So far our contract talks have been going well and I hope to continue playing for them in 2018."

(Picture: YouTube/Telekom Malaysia)