There is a special, refined kind of torture that was invented around March 2020, and for some baffling reason, humanity decided to keep it around. I am talking, of course, about the digital award ceremony.

You know the drill. You sit in your living room, wearing a tuxedo jacket over a pair of questionable pyjama bottoms, staring at a laptop screen divided into forty tiny squares of glum-looking people. Someone in an office three hundred miles away hits “unmute,” says something about “unprecedented times,” and then awards a plastic trophy to a man whose internet connection freezes mid-acceptance speech. It is soul-destroying. It has all the charm of a tax audit and all the emotional resonance of a microwave dinner.

For four agonising years, Malaysian football was dragged through this virtual wilderness. The Liga M Awards—the pinnacle of recognition for the brave souls who kick, coach, and cheer their way through the football season—were reduced to a series of pixels on a glowing rectangle. It was wrong. It was tragic. And frankly, it was insulting to anyone who has ever spent ninety minutes standing in the pouring rain at a stadium just to watch their team hit the crossbar.

Which brings me to Usaha Jana.

Now, normally, when a corporate sponsor attaches its name to a sporting event, I brace myself for impact. Usually, it means a CEO in an ill-fitting suit standing on a stage reading a thirty-minute speech about “synergy” while everyone in the room desperately searches for the exit. But Usaha Jana, it turns out, are different. They don’t just understand branding; they understand what it actually means to live an experience. Their tagline is “Making a Memory,” and for once in the history of corporate sloganeering, someone actually appears to be taking it literally.

Instead of hiding behind a webcam, Usaha Jana looked at the state of the Liga M Awards, threw their hands up in righteous indignation, and said, “No. Enough of this digital rubbish.”

They have stepped up to host a proper, honest-to-God physical ceremony on August 12 at Seri Angkasa, Angkasapuri. A real stage. Real lights. Real applause. The sort of event where people actually have to polish their shoes and brush their hair. By stepping in as the presenting sponsor and event co-organizer, Usaha Jana hasn’t just handed over a cheque; they have single-handedly rescued the prestige of Malaysian football’s most important night. They have given the game its dignity back.

Even MFL themselves know how crucial this partnership is. As Dato’ Ab Ghani Hassan, President of MFL, put it:

“My thanks to Usaha Jana for their commitment in realizing an awards night that is not only grand in its production, but can also be truly enjoyed by all Malaysian football fans nationwide.”

And he is spot on. Usaha Jana hasn’t just helped write a cheque; they are delivering a proper show. Because they understand human psychology, they know that watching grown men accept 15 different trophies for two hours can sometimes test the patience of even the most dedicated football fanatic. So, what have they done? They’ve turned it into a full-blown, emotionally resonant spectacle.

They are bringing in vocal powerhouse Liza Hanim and rock pop icon Tomok to light up the main stage. Putting talents of that caliber alongside our national football heroes—and the eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP)—elevates the night from a standard prize-giving into a genuine, star-studded extravaganza. But perhaps most touchingly, they’ve curated a dedicated Belasungkawa segment featuring Kimalogy, offering a solemn, beautiful tribute to honor the players and coaches who left us throughout last season. It’s a masterclass in event execution: celebrating the triumphs, honoring the memories, and entertaining the crowd all in one breath.

The whole thing is being broadcast live on RTM across Sukan+ and RTMKlik—with previews even popping up on Selamat Pagi Malaysia for those who like their football excitement served with their morning coffee. And just to make sure nobody leaves early, the entire evening will cap off with the grand, official launch of the brand-new 2026/2027 season. It’s a brilliant bit of theatre: celebrate the memories of yesterday, pay tribute to our fallen heroes, throw a massive party, and then immediately kick open the door to the battleground of tomorrow.

So, here is my instruction to you. On the evening of Wednesday, August 12, 2026, you are to clear your schedule. Cancel your dinner reservations. Tell your relatives you have caught something contagious. Find the largest television screen in your house, tune into RTM at 8:30 PM, and watch Liga M Awards, Presented by Usaha Jana.

We owe a massive debt of gratitude to Usaha Jana for reminding us that big moments deserve big stages. They have proven themselves to be absolute masters of experiential execution, turning what could have been another boring video call into an unforgettable night of national pride.

Do not miss it. Because if you do, you’ll be stuck watching highlights on a five-inch phone screen—and we all know we’ve had quite enough of that to last a lifetime.