Football league competition in Malaysia began in 1982 with each state represented by their respective teams compete in Liga Malaysia.[1][2] However, it purpose was just to be a qualifying round for the knock-out stage for Malaysia Cup. During that time, all states participating in this league alongside the police and army as well as the two countries, namely Singapore and Brunei which all send an amateur team for the competition.
From the season of 1989 until 1993, the Malaysian football league entered the semi-pro era with the creation of Liga Semi-Pro (MSPFL) which still be a two divisions league.[3]
From 1994 to 1997 Malaysian football witnessed the creation of the country's first professional football league, the Liga Perdana, in which all teams was put into a single-tier league.[4]
In 1998, the league was divided again with the creation of two-division league, Liga Perdana 1 and Liga Perdana 2 where it continued to operate until 2003.[5]
Malaysia Super League was introduced in 2004 to replace the previous top-tier division as Malaysian football entered the privatisation era of football league.[6]