Country | Malaysia |
---|---|
Other club(s) from | Brunei |
Confederation | AFC |
Founded | April 4, 1998 |
Folded | August 2, 2003 |
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 |
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 April 4, 1998.
The last champions of Liga Perdana 1 is Perak which won the league for second straight season. 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.
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.
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).