Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal emphasised that securing funds will be Selangor's foremost agenda in 2016, after the state team elected him as their new president to replace Datuk Seri Azmin Ali through an extraordinary general meeting held on Thursday.
Subahan, a former team manager of the Malaysian national team, won the president seat unopposed, even though there were speculations that Selangor crown prince Tengku Amir Shah would contest against him.
"Finding funds for Selangor will be the main thing for us in 2016," Subahan told ESPN FC. "We are currently the poorest state in the country and we need money to keep the team going.
"Which is why we have set a modest target of not getting relegated this year. I will do my best to ensure everything is in order. Enough of the fighting and bickering, we must move forward as one."
Selangor were left in a lurch just before the 2017 Malaysia Super League (MSL) season after the state government decided against funding the team due to massive internal politicking within its hierarchy.
Azmin had then quit as president, leaving severe doubts about the team's participation in the ongoing league.
But they eventually competed on a smaller budget, with many young players roped in from the President Cup.
Despite their off field struggles which also included delayed salaries to their staff, the 33-time Malaysia Cup champions have been faring rather well in the league in fourth place.
"I am confident with my abilities, which I feel is better than my predecessor. I also strongly need the support of the fans to back the management. It is not easy to operate a team without funds and I will do my best to change that," added Subahan.
"I don't know how long I will stay, perhaps only one term. But if the new executive committee were to fail, we will all leave."
The politician, however, takes over the Selangor throne with a reputable record to turn things around.
In 2015, Subahan promised to settle the RM2.9 million debt that the Malaysian Hockey Confederation had incurred when he took over as president from the current outgoing Football Association of Malaysia president (FAM) Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Fast forward a year later, the national hockey body announced they were almost debt free under the reign of the bespectacled Subahan, who also promised his dual roles will not interfere with each other.
When probed by ESPN FC on Selangor's plans for privatisation to be fully owned by the fans, Subahan said it could depend on the appointment of Tunku Sultan Ismail as FAM president.
"Hopefully if TMJ gets selected, he will initiate club licensing and we can be one of the first clubs to be privatised."
Selangor Executive Committee (2017-2021)
President: Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal
Deputy President: Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar
Vice President: Abdul Rauf, Datuk Lim Thean Shiang, Nizam Sani, K. Palanisamy
Executive Committee members: Datuk S. Sivasundaram, Datuk Razak Karim, K. Santhana Raju, Datuk Shahrizal Sahri, R. Sekar Chandra, Mustaza Ahmad, Omar Ali, Datuk Arriffin Datuk Hamid, Datuk PS Sugumaran, Simon Lee, Yunus Iskandar, Nazzab Hidzan, K. Sanbagamaran