The 2018 Malaysia Premier League, known as 2018 100Plus Malaysia Premier League for sponsorship reasons, was the 15th season of the Malaysia Premier League, the second-tier professional football league in Malaysia since its establishment in 2004.

Team changes

A total of 12 teams contested the league, including 6 sides from the 2017 season, four relegated from the 2017 Malaysia Super League and four promoted from the 2017 Malaysia FAM League.

To Premier League Relegated from Super League Felda United 2 Sarawak Penang Terengganu II 2 Promoted from FAM League UKM Felcra 1From Premier League Promoted to Super League Kuala Lumpur Negeri Sembilan 2 PKNP 2 Terengganu Relegated to FAM League ATM Perlis

Notes:

^1 Originally Sime Darby were promoted along with UKM as finalists of the 2017 Malaysia FAM League final, but after Sime Darby announced their withdrawal from the Premier League participation, Felcra, the next highest team in the FAM League table, were invited as replacement.

^2 FELDA United were relegated to Premier League after failing to receive the FAM License to compete in the Super League; while T-Team were relegated to Premier League after their absorption to Terengganu, rebranding as Terengganu II and change of their status as reserve team to Terengganu. Negeri Sembilan and PKNP, 2 highest teams in the Premier League with FAM License, were promoted to Super League in their place.

Disbandment of Kuantan FA

After failing to settle bad debt with former players for last season campaign, 4 months failing to pay current team wages. and unable to turn up for a league fixture against PDRM, FMLLP decided to disqualify Kuantan from the rest of the campaign. Because of their disqualification, all points that were won by other teams against Kuantan will not count and the league was left with 11 teams out of initial 12 with teams that were due to play Kuantan were given a bye week. It is the first time this has ever occurred in the professional level of Malaysian football where a team is disallowed to compete after breaking the rules and regulations with the season on-going.

Kuantan stated that Marcerra (the team that bought their license) wanted to take over the bad debts amounted to RM 3.5 million and clear all the overdue payment from last season. But it seemed fruitless as after 4 months into the league campaign, the problem was still unsettled as the current squad players decided to leave the team and opted to join teams in the FAM league. Kuantan were awarded RM 500,000 annual grant but minus RM 200,000 for fined after failing to complete their registration papers.

Stadium and locations

2018 Malaysia Premier League is located in Malaysia
Locations of teams in the 2018 Malaysia Premier League teams

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
FelcraShah AlamShah Alam Stadium80,372
Felda UnitedJengkaTun Abdul Razak Stadium25,000
Johor Darul Ta'zim IIPasir GudangPasir Gudang Corporation Stadium15,000
MIFAPetaling JayaPetaling Jaya Stadium25,000
PDRMShah AlamShah Alam Stadium80,372
PenangBatu KawanPenang State Stadium40,000
SabahKota KinabaluLikas Stadium35,000
SarawakKuchingSarawak State Stadium26,000
Terengganu IIKuala TerengganuSultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium15,000
UiTMShah AlamUiTM Stadium10,000
UKMSelayangSelayang Stadium11,098

Personnel and sponsoring

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

TeamHead coachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor(s)
FelcraBrazil Tarcísio PuglieseMalaysia Shahrom KalamUhlsportFELCRA, HeMAT
Felda UnitedMalaysia B. SathianathanMalaysia Shukor AdanFBTFELDA, Hotel Tenera
Johor Darul Ta'zim IIMexico Benjamin MoraMalaysia Shakir ShaariNikeForest City
MIFAMalaysia K. DevanLiberia Kpah ShermanPumaMIFA, MAHSA University
PDRMMalaysia Zulhamizan ZakariaMalaysia Fauzi MajidLine 7ODR Lubricants
PenangMalaysia Zainal AbidinMalaysia Azrul AhmadPuma
SabahMalaysia Jelius AtingMalaysia Rawilson BatuilCarinoSawit Kinabalu, Sabah Energy Corp, Asian Supply Base
SarawakAustralia Ian GillanMalaysia Hairol MokhtarStarsport
Terengganu IIMalaysia Mustaffa KamalMalaysia Hasbullah AwangKobertChicken Cottage
UiTMMalaysia Wan Mustaffa Wan IsmailMalaysia Afif AsyrafPumaSoaring Upwards, UiTM Holdings
UKMMalaysia Sulaiman HusinMalaysia Asnan AhmadSkyHawkKopi Pak Belalang, Fusionex

Coaching changes

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointment
Terengganu IIIndonesia Rahmad DarmawanResigned23 November 2017Pre-seasonMalaysia Mustaffa Kamal27 November 2017
PDRMMalaysia Fauzi PilusEnd of contract31 October 2017Malaysia Zulhamizan Zakaria28 November 2017
SarawakMalaysia Pengiran BalaEnd of caretaker role1 December 2017Australia Ian Gillan2 December 2017
MIFAMalaysia Jacob JosephEnd of contract31 October 2017Malaysia K. Devan3 December 2017
FelcraMalaysia Rosle Md. DerusReassigned as assistant coach22 December 2017Brazil Tarcísio Pugliese22 December 2017
KuantanMalaysia Zulhamizan ZakariaResigned28 November 2017Malaysia Ismail Zakaria1 December 2017
PDRMMalaysia Zulhamizan ZakariaEnd of contract31 July 20185thMalaysia Fauzi Pilus1 August 2018
Johor Darul Ta'zim IIMexico Benjamin MoraPromoted to JDT I10 August 20184thCroatia Ervin Boban11 August 2018

Foreign players

The number of foreign players is restricted to four each team including at least one player from the AFC country.

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3AFC playerFormer player 3
FelcraBrazil Léo CariocaBrazil EndrickBrazil CasagrandeIndonesia David Laly
Felda UnitedBrazil Thiago JunioBrazil Gilberto FortunatoBrazil Thiago FernandesPhilippines Iain Ramsay
Johor Darul Ta'zim IIBrazil Bruno SoaresArgentina Nicolás FernándezFrance Harry NovilloSingapore Hafiz Sujad Brazil Murilo Damasceno Argentina Lucas Ontivero
MIFABrazil ElizeuLiberia Kpah ShermanFrance L'Imam SeydiSouth Korea Bae Beom-geun
PDRMMontenegro Argzim RedžovićSouth Korea Shim Un-seobRomania Petrisor VoineaJapan Shunsuke Nakatake
PenangNigeria Ugo UkahThe Gambia Sanna NyassiNigeria Chidi EdehSouth Korea Kang Seung-joDenmark Ken Ilsø
SabahZambia Francis KasondeSerbia Rodoljub PaunovićPuerto Rico Pito RamosJapan Keisuke OgawaSouth Korea Heo Jae-nyeong South Korea Lee Kil-Hoon
SarawakSerbia Nebojsa MarinkovicCroatia Mateo RoskamMontenegro Miloš RaičkovićSouth Korea Kim Chi-gon
Terengganu IIHaiti Andrew Jean-BaptisteHaiti Sébastien ThurièreNigeria Akanni-Sunday WasiuJapan Bruno SuzukiSouth Korea Lee Jun-hyeob
UiTMThe Gambia Mamadou DansoKyrgyzstan Venyamin ShumeykoNigeria Okereke TimothySouth Korea Noh Sang-minJapan Kota Kawase Argentina Lucas Pugh Ivory Coast Dechi Marcel Ivory Coast Dao Bakary
UKMNigeria Waheed OseniMorocco Redouane ZerzouriNigeria Michael IjezieSouth Korea Nam Se-inUganda Atuheire Kipson
  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • ^3 Foreign players who left their clubs or were de-registered from playing squad due to medical issues or other matters.

Naturalisation

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

TeamPlayer 1Player 2
Felda UnitedScotlandMalaysia Stuart Wark3AustraliaMalaysia Curran Singh Ferns3
Johor Darul Ta'zim IIEnglandMalaysia Samuel Somerville3New ZealandMalaysia Ernest Wong3
SarawakAustraliaMalaysia Shazalee Ramlee3

Notes:

^3 Carrying Malaysian heritage.

^4 Participated in the Malaysia national team squad.

Results

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion, qualification or relegation
1Felda United (C, P)2012714424+2043Promotion to 2019 Malaysia Super League
2Felcra209743024+634Withrew from Premier League and dissolved.
3MIFA (P)209563626+1032Promotion to 2019 Malaysia Super League
4Johor Darul Ta'zim II208662823+530
5PDRM208572831−329
6Sabah207763526+928
7UKM2064102632−622
8Sarawak2064102735−822
9UiTM2064102336−1322
10Penang205692030−1021
11Terengganu II2045112234−1217

Result table

Home \ AwayFCRFELJDTIIMIFPDRMPENSABSWKTRGIIUITUKM
Felcra—1–11–21–11–13–11–02–03–11–02–1
Felda United1–1—2–20–32–23–01–03–23–22–00–0
Johor Darul Ta'zim II1–21–4—0–11–02–11–12–02–12–24–0
MIFA1–22–31–1—2–33–21–12–21–04–03–1
PDRM1–32–60–02–0—1–03–21–00–01–22–2
Pulau Pinang2–11–12–00–23–1—2–10–10–00–02–1
Sabah3–01–11–13–22–00–0—1–14–03–11–3
Sarawak2–31–30–21–02–11–13–2—5–20–22–1
Terengganu II1–10–22–11–21–21–11–21–1—2–31–0
UiTM1–11–40–20–21–33–10–33–22–3—2–0
UKM2–01–21–03–31–23–13–22–11–20–0—

Positions by round

LeaderRelegation to 2019 Malaysia FAM LeagueDisqualifiedQualified to 2018 Malaysia Cup
Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920
Felda United31111111111111111111
Felcra57445442222232222222
MIFA78556657784323445333
Johor Darul Ta'zim II6691112111112111111888666654
PDRM81012810976563344333565
Sabah12222234335555554446
UKM101271011121211101010999777977
Sarawak446743234566668881088
UiTM23333565647777101010799
Penang1158977888789101199981010
Terengganu II1211111291099999111110111111111111
Kuantan99106881010DQDQDQDQDQDQDQDQDQDQDQDQ

Season statistics

Top scorers

As of matches played on 27 July 2018.

Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name.

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Brazil CasagrandeFelcra19
2Malaysia Bobby GonzalesSarawak14
Puerto Rico Hector RamosSabah
Liberia Kpah ShermanMIFA
Brazil Thiago FernandesFelda United
6Nigeria Akanni-Sunday WasiuTerengganu II12
7Brazil Gilberto FortunatoFelda United10
8Croatia Mateo RoskamSarawak9

Top assists

Players sorted first by assists, then by last name.

RankPlayerClubAssists
1Brazil EndrickFelcra10
Argentina Nicolás FernándezJohor Darul Ta'zim II
3Philippines Iain RamsayFelda United9
4South Korea Bae Beom-geunMIFA8
5Malaysia Maxsius MusaSabah7

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Brazil Gilberto FortunatoFelda UnitedPDRM6–2 (A)6 February 2018
Brazil CasagrandeFelcraSarawak3–2 (A)10 February 2018
Montenegro Žarko KoraćKuantanUKM4–0 (H)23 February 2018
Brazil CasagrandeFelcraTerengganu II3–1 (H)21 May 2018

Notes: (H) – Home; (A) – Away

Own goals

RankPlayerForAgainstDateGoals
1Malaysia Daudsu JamaluddinKuantanUiTM10 February 20181
Malaysia Fazly MazlanJohor Darul Ta'zim IITerengganu II16 April 20181
Haiti Andrew Jean-BaptisteTerengganu IISarawak21 July 20181

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1Malaysia Farizal HarunFelda United5
Malaysia Muhaimin MohamadMIFA
Malaysia Sheril AnuarPDRM
4Malaysia Soffuan TawilUiTM4
5Malaysia Suhaimi HusinTerengganu II3
Malaysia Rozaimie RohimSabah
7Malaysia Robson Rendy RiningSabah2
8Malaysia Iqbal SuhaimiSarawak1
Malaysia Abdul Gafur SamsudinUKM

See also

External links