Football fans wait at the counter to get their tickets for the FA Cup semi-final second leg match between Sarawak and Pahang at the Stadium Negeri, in this October 24, 2013 file photo. The Football Association of Sarawak (FAS), with MyElink Sdn Bhd partnership, have launched an online ticketing service in an effort to avoid chaos at ticket counters. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) have launched what they said is the first online ticketing service in Malaysia league football.
During the press conference held at the Sarawak Foundation headquarters yesterday here at Jalan Sultan Tengah, FAS deputy president Datu Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki announced that the system is now fully functional and operational.
“We called for a press conference today to tell the fans that they now have an alternative in buying tickets for home matches in the future. Now let’s hope that there would be no more mad rush like the one we saw last season,” he added.
Developed by MyElink Sdn Bhd together with FAS, it is understood that FAS have allocated 50 per cent of tickets for each match for online booking and sales.
As the system is new to fans, FAS may decide to increase the quota of the online tickets if it receives good response.
Each fan is entitled to online purchase of five tickets. He can then bring his identity card and booking number as proof of purchase to collect the actual tickets at counters provided by FAS subsequently.
There will be four places to collect the actual tickets namely LEA Centre Kuching Central, LEA Centre Hopoh, LEA Centre Sarawak Plaza and the Stadium Negeri.
The booking number as proof of purchase can be in printed form or soft copy, flashed at the counter through a mobile device.
All match tickets purchased online can be collected as early as one day before match day. Online booking will open as early as 10 days before match day and close one day before match day.
The first online booking for tickets can be expected to open on Jan 11 and close on Jan 20 for Sarawak’s first home match against Penang on Jan 21 in the FA Cup competition.
All online ticket booking are for home matches only.
FAS secretary-general Abdullah Julaihi, who was also present at the press conference, said FAS reserved the right to change the number of tickets that can be bought by a single identity card number (fan), depending on the situation.
“During hot matches, we might limit the number of ticket which can be bought by a person. We must give everyone from all over the state a fair chance to watch our beloved team in action,” he explained.
Links for the online ticket purchase can found on Sarawak’s official website (www.sarawakfootball.com) and their official Facebook page.
Season tickets are also available online but are only limited to Sarawakians only.