PETALING JAYA: Kelantan Red Warriors president Nik Hafiz Naim Nik has taken the drastic step of stepping down to ensure the team’s continued participation in the A1 Semi Pro League, which kicked off last Saturday.

Hafiz admitted that it was a difficult decision, but one he felt was necessary to avoid risking the collapse of the team after all the efforts that had been poured into building it.

He has also relinquished all positions and shareholdings in KRW in a bid to distance the team from any claims linking it to the troubled Kelantan FC.

As a result, ownership of the Red Warriors has now been transferred to coffeehouse franchise Nasken Coffee, with Wan Mohd Fajarul Ekram appointed as the club’s new chief executive officer.

“When this issue surfaced, it sparked a lot of speculation in the media, particularly linking me to Kelantan FC as a former shareholder. ‘’Unfortunately, it also affected Red Warriors and led to a suspension by FIFA.

“So I’ve decided to step aside to help ease the situation and pave the way for the team to return to action in the A1 League,” said Hafiz.

The club are currently under investigation by FIFA over allegations that the team are essentially a rebranded version of Kelantan FC, who still have unsettled salary arrears involving several former players and officials.

Due to the ongoing investigation, Irfan Bakti’s side are not only barred from playing in any matches but have also been unable to register players, with the FIFA-imposed suspension set to remain in place until a decision is announced on Aug 14.

Hafiz previously clarified that although he held shares in the club, his stake was limited to just five per cent. The majority was owned by Kelantan FC’s main shareholder, entrepreneur Norizam Tukiman, known for his burger business, Zamburger.

With his resignation, Hafiz is hoping for a favourable decision from FIFA, which would allow Red Warriors to return to action after their opening two matches against Selangor II today and Seoul Phoenix on Aug 10 had been postponed.

“Kelantan have a strong team in the A1 League and I believe they can go all the way to win the title this year. I will continue to support the club that I hold dear,” he added.