13 Malaysian football leaders accused of falsifying naturalization documents

Malaysian football remains in turmoil with 13 FAM officials accused of involvement in the widely publicized player naturalization scandal.

Just as the wave of public outrage in Malaysia had not yet subsided, regional media have reported a shocking update: 13 senior officials of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have been identified as directly connected to the player naturalization scandal that has destabilized the country’s football scene for several months.

According to TribunNews (Indonesia), the internal investigation conducted by FAM’s Special Committee has yielded preliminary results. Sources reveal that many individuals within FAM’s leadership are being asked to voluntarily resign to facilitate further legal proceedings. Journalist Pola Singh mentioned that among them could be Datuk Joehari, the former FAM President, who unexpectedly stepped down in August just days before FIFA officially announced severe sanctions against Malaysian football.

Previously, FIFA fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs (approximately 11.5 billion VND) for violating regulations related to document forgery and player fraud. Moreover, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is also considering additional disciplinary measures.

Public and political pressure forced FAM to take action. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad openly condemned the situation, stating that “behind this case are powerful individuals who believe they can escape punishment.” In response to the backlash, FAM established an independent investigative committee led by former Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, which began its work on November 4.

Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeohaffirmed close cooperation with the investigative committee to clarify all irregularities: “We will not allow anyone, regardless of their position, to damage the reputation of Malaysian football.”

Sources from Kuala Lumpur indicate that FAM intends to overhaul its personnel extensively, viewing this as a necessary step to restore fans’ trust while hoping FIFA and AFC will consider reducing the penalties.

This incident is regarded as the biggest shock in Malaysian football over the past decade, seriously threatening the image and trust fans have in the national team.

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