Malaysia Premier League (1994–97)
| Founded | April 5, 1994 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1997 |
| Country |
 Malaysia
|
| Other club(s) from |
 Brunei,  Singapore
|
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 15 (from 1995) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Promotion to | None |
| Relegation to | None |
| Domestic cup(s) | Piala FA |
| League cup(s) | Piala Malaysia |
| Last champions |
Sarawak (1997) |
| Most championships |
Singapore (1 titles) Pahang (1 titles) Sabah (1 titles) Sarawak (1 titles) |
| TV partners | RTM |
 1997 Liga Perdana
|
|
Liga Perdana (English: Premier League) was the top-tier football league in Malaysia that operated from 1994 to 1997. The league was formed and established in 1994 to succeed the Liga Semi-Pro and became the Malaysian fully professional football league. At this time the league was interchangeably referred as Malaysian League.
As per league rules for the newly formed professional league, all teams were required to register 13 full professional, two semi-professional, and only three foreign players to play for their team in the competition. The inaugural season started on 5 April 1994.
The league was then succeeded in 1998 by the formation of Liga Perdana 1 when the league was divided into two division alongside the Liga Perdana 2 by Football Association of Malaysia.
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 trophy 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.
In early days, the Malaysian football league system consisted of an amateur league before the changes in 1989, when the Liga Semi-Pro was introduced which operated from 1989 to 1993.
Initially the only teams allowed to participate in the league 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).
In its inaugural season 16 teams competing in the league. The teams were based from all states in Malaysia including Kuala Lumpur and addition of two foreign teams, Singapore and Brunei.
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