Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution must immediately resign or be removed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for what has been revealed by the FAM-FIFA issue - as it involves falsification in the issuance of citizenship and other documents to prove they are 'heritage players'(i.e. proof that parents/grandparents are born in Malaysia, etc...),
The failure of the Sports Minister, Home Minister and Malaysia to immediately investigate and take action when the allegations surfaced - that failure to nip it in the bud(to put a quick end to something) has greatly EMBARRASSED Malaysia.
If the Ministers and/or government acted quickly - FAM would have been prevented from trying to use 'foreign players' in that Malaysian sports team - Even if Malaysia, with foreign players(irrespective if they have been made citizens) may not be something Malaysians will celebrate as it is NOT TRULY a Malaysian team of TRULY Malaysian players...
FAM and seven heritage players were sanctioned by Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee after being found guilty of violating Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code related to documentary forgery. In a statement reported by Bernama, Fifa said FAM had submitted forged documents to verify the eligibility of players, allowing them to be fielded in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10.
2 Issues Here:-
a) Issue of making them Malaysian Citizens by naturalisation; and
b) Issue of submitting 'forged' or 'false' documents to satisfy FIFA's requirement that they are 'heritage players' - FIFA is not satisfied that they are now Malaysian citizens, but also need added proof of 'heritage' to prevent any country from just making foreigners citizens so that they can play for the country.
Addressing the controversy surrounding Fifa’s disciplinary action against the seven Harimau Malaya heritage players, Saifuddin Nasution said the issue of player eligibility is a football regulatory matter, governed by Fifa’s statutes. “Fifa’s statutes state that a player can represent a country if either of four conditions is fulfilled — either the player was born in the country, one of the parents or grandparents was born there, or the player has lived continuously in the country for at least five years.“That’s a matter between FAM and Fifa. From our side, all citizenship procedures were done according to the law and the Constitution,” he said, noting that the issue is currently being handled through FAM’s appeal process with Fifa.
# Though the Home Minister believes that there is just 1 issues, I believe that there is still 2. How did the foreign football players become Malaysian citizen? and the issue of submitting 'forged' documents...
Does Hannah Yeoh still believe that there is nothing wrong done by FAM - WHY still wait for the decision on Appeal by FIFA?
Spanning over 6,000 words, the ruling details how seven foreign-born players were made to appear Malaysian through doctored ancestral birth certificates.
How did Malaysia make them citizens? Was it the Home Minister's incompetence or lackadaisical attitude that allowed him (and/or Malaysia) to make them citizens? How many other people have become CITIZENS, Permanent Residents, Holders of Other Visas - when they were unqualified?
Citizenship is a serious matter - it is not simply the MINISTER's discretion - this means the Minister cannot simply make any Tom, Dick, Marry, Muhammad, etc a Malaysian Citizen as he pleases ... If not, what is stopping Saifuddin from making his relatives and friends in Indonesia and elsewhere Malaysian citizens as he pleases.
This is UNLIKE the power he used when he granted UMNO excemption not to have to comply with the Law - a decision that allowed Zahid Hamidi to retain UMNO Presidency uncontested.
Even if, Saifuddin was not the Home Minister that made these undeserved, with false documentation, citizens so that they can play football representing Malaysia, BLAME still lies with Saifuddin as he did not immediately act when these allegations was raised.
The FAILINGS of Hannah Yeoh - Sports Minister
She is the SPORTS Minister, and is certainly responsible for all Malaysian sports bodies, including FAM - they all report to her, and she is responsible. She cannot later turn around and blame FAM - or said she did not know. She is the MINISTER and she cannot run away from responsibility - given Hannah's stance now in supporting FAM, and its decision to appeal - she is now in a difficult position?
This is a QUESTION OF NATIONAL PRIDE - these footballers were representing Malaysia - it was not some professional football club. Does any Malaysian want any Malaysian team to win because they had 'foreign players' - I do not. How many Malaysian players missed out in representing Malaysia because FAM(naturally the also the responsible of Minister and Government) who did this? 100% real Malaysians please to represent Malaysia...
Well, the moment the allegations were raised - the Minister and the Ministry should have immediately INVESTIGATED the matter - not wait until FIFA investigated and decided?? and now still no investigation yet by the Minister or Ministry responsible - apparently waiting for FIFA to decide on FAM's appeal????
FIFA made it decision - that means it all started sometime ago, when the complaint was brought to FIFA - so, why did the Minister not act then.
It is shameful when FIFA makes a ruling implicating wrongdoing, and Malaysia and the Minister is yet to investigate. Now, Hannah Yeoh says wait until the appeal is over.
Youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh said today the ministry will only decide whether to investigate the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) after the national football body completes its appeal process against a Fifa sanction....“But I think we have to go stage by stage. Let’s complete the appeal process first. Once that is done, then we can discuss whether to conduct an investigation or make improvements. - FMT,, 8/10/2025
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to prioritise its appeal to Fifa following sanctions imposed on seven naturalised national players....“The current priority is for FAM to complete the legal and international appeal process with Fifa until it is fully concluded. All parties must ensure this process is carried out with full integrity and transparency for the sake of Malaysia’s good name,” Yeoh said in a statement today.- Malay Mail, 27/9/2025
What does this mean? It suggest that Hannah Yeoh and the Malaysian Government, even before investigating, seems to believe that FAM did no wrong - and that FIFA is wrong.
BEST if the Minister/Ministry investigated FAM immediately - and if they found that FAM had did wrong - immediately ensure that FAM admits its GUILT, apologize to FIFA and all Malaysians .. That is so much better that waiting for FIFA to investigate and make a decision. That position implies that the Minister and Malaysia believes that FAM did no wrong --- SHAMEFUL when the decision of the appeal comes out...
The MINISTER will look like a 'criminal' since she is supporting FAM - so too will look very bad for PM Anwar Ibrahim and the Malaysian Madani Government ...and all Malaysians.
It will look like Malaysia was so DESPERATE to win that Malaysia will wrongly made foreigners Malaysians to play for our NATIONAL Team .. It is not some 'Professional' Team here - it is the Malaysian National Football Team.
Should we ever be HAPPY again when a Malaysian National Team wins in any sports - because it may not be a TRULY MALAYSIAN TEAM - but a Pseudo Malaysian Team, where foreigners are representing Malaysians.
The Failings of the Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution
Well, the issue here is also about wrongly making foreigners Malaysian Citizens just so that they can play or take part in sports as Malaysian citizens, with the right to vote in Malaysian elections too..
The Minister says that they are Malaysian Citizens by Naturalisation..
Article 19 Federal Constitution - Citizenship by naturalization(1) Subject to Clause (9), the Federal Government may, upon application made by any person of or over the age of twenty-one years who is not a citizen, grant a certificate of naturalization to that person if satisfied—
(a) that—
(i) he has resided in the Federation for the required periods and intends, if the certificate is granted, to do so permanently;
(ii) (Repealed);
(b) that he is of good character; and
(c) that he has an adequate knowledge of the Malay language.
(2) Subject to Clause (9), the Federal Government may, in such special circumstances as it thinks fit, upon application made by any person of or over the age of twenty-one years who is not a citizen, grant a certificate of naturalization to that person if satisfied—
(a) that he has resided in the Federation for the required periods and intends, if the certificate is granted, to do so permanently;
(b) that he is of good character; and
(c) that he has an adequate knowledge of the Malay language.
(3) The periods of residence in the Federation or the relevant part of it which are required for the grant of a certificate of naturalization are periods which amount in the aggregate to not less than ten years in the twelve years immediately preceding the date of the application for the certificate, and which include the twelve months immediately preceding that date....
(9) No certificate of naturalization shall be granted to any person until he has taken the oath set out in the First Schedule.
For the grant of a Malaysian Citizenship - the conditions in the Federal Constitution need to be complied with. The HOME MINISTER have to be true to the law - this is not a matter of DISCRETION or absolute Discretion of the Minister.
CITIZENSHIP - means getting the rights of any citizen, including the ability to stand for elections, become a MP and even become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. A citizen also gets a share in the wealth of the nation - enjoy RON95 subsidy, SARA RM100...
Have these foreign footballers been in residence in Malaysia for at least 10 years...??
Remember, in Malaysia - we generally do not accept DUAL Citizenship - you cannot become a citizen of 2 nations or more. Who will you be loyal to - Malaysia or some other country
24 Deprivation of citizenship on acquisition or exercise of foreign citizenship, etc.
(1) If the Federal Government is satisfied that any citizen has acquired by registration, naturalization or other voluntary and formal act (other than marriage) the citizenship of any country outside the Federation, the Federal Government may by order deprive that person of his citizenship.
(2) If the Federal Government is satisfied that any citizen has voluntarily claimed and exercised in any country outside the Federation any rights available to him under the law of that country, being rights accorded exclusively to its citizens, the Federal Government may by order deprive that person of his citizenship...
So, have these 'foreign' footballers given up on their citizenship in their country of birth or any other country BEFORE (or immediately after) became Malaysian Citizens?
Or do we now have a NEW law that allows foreign footballers or sportsmen to be citizens of Malaysia - as well as citizens of other countries. Will their citizenship be revoked once they stop representing Malaysia? That needs a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT to create a new category of how one can become Malaysian citizens.
YES, the Constitution Can Be Amended - to allow the making of athletes, professionals into Malaysian Citizens - it will also allow us to make all migrant workers that Malaysia need into Malaysian citizens too .... ANYTHING 'is possible if Malaysians want it (two thirds of the MPs must support any Constitutional amendments...)
Remember, children of Malaysian father or mother, automatically become CITIZENS of Malaysia - so, since these footballers became 'Malaysian citizens' - how many children was born - who now will be Malaysian Citizen?
So, it was the HOME Minister who made them Malaysian citizens -- he must be investigated to see if he BROKE THE LAW or not?
Same, with the Sports Minister, as soon as the allegations/suspicions came to light - the Home Minister should have immediately investigated to ensure that the Citizenship was granted in compliance with law, and there was NO CASE of forgery of documents - in the application for citizenship. After all, it is FAM(under the Minister) that committed the CRIME intentionally or negligently... Was FAM conned by these foreign players?
There is the Malaysian Laws - and for the application of citizenship by naturalization there is noting to do with where you were born? where your parents were born? where your grandparents were born - all that is FIFA's rules - to ensure that foreigners are not simply made citizens to be allowed to play for a country.
FIFA require an ADDITIONAL proof - to prove that they are 'heritage players' that means besides officially acquiring a citizenship - they had a prior link to that country --- i,e, their parents or grandparents were born in that country.
To prove this added information, they needed to submit relevant BIRTH CERTIFICATES that their parents and/or grandparent was born or lived in Malaysia before - so, back to Malaysia's National Registration Department - who now had to issue the needed Birth Certificates, OR verify that the said person was indeed BORN in Malaysia > now, it seems that it is these Birth Certificate or verification of the Birth in Malaysia/Malaya that is the problem.. was it issued by Malaysia after properly being verified - Or was it all 'FORGED' or false (based on lies or unverifiable facts)
So, back again to the HOME MINISTER who is responsible for the Malaysian Department that issues Birth Certificates, or Verification that such person was indeed born in Malaysia.
So, this also may include looking at hospital/clinic records of BIRTH - and here the Ministry of Health may also be implicated.
Someone in Malaysia must Investigate Fast - to verify the truth?
If the truth comes out later - then Malaysia will be EMBARRASSED - because Malaysia was CONNED by these foreign players, FAM and maybe some others..
As I stated earlier, the Home Minister also should have investigated as soon as the suspicion and/or allegation arose - and acted fast against these FOREIGNERS and their accomplices..
These are after all SERIOUS OFFENCES - Forgery, Making False Documents, ..to acquire official documents from relevant government departments and Ministries,,
So immediately commence criminal investigations on all the FOREIGN Football players, FAM and its officials, relevant public officers/Ministers NOW that the crime has already been committed...
Hannah Yeoh(the Sports Minister) and Saifuddin Nasution(Home Minister) must possibly consider RESIGNING or face the consequences of the FAILINGS, be it intentionally or negligently done/omitted...
What is all FIFA found is true?
NO COVER UP please...
In a statement reported by Bernama, Fifa said FAM had submitted forged documents to verify the eligibility of players, allowing them to be fielded in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10. The seven heritage players penalised were Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel. As a result, FAM was fined CHF350,000 (RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (RM10,560) and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities effective from the date of the decision’s notification.
Saifuddin Nasution: Seven footballers met all criteria for citizenship
- Nation
Friday, 10 Oct 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: The seven mixed-heritage footballers at the centre of a controversy over their legitimacy in playing for Harimau Malaya had fulfilled all criteria under the Federal Constitution, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).
The Home Minister said the criteria, under Article 19 of the Federal Constitution, which covers citizenship by naturalisation, comprises three pillars.
Under Article 19, the criteria are that the applicant must have resided in the Federation for 10 years in the last 12 years, be of good character and have adequate knowledge of the Malay language.
He said the application must also be processed under the Citizenship Rules 1994, which requires the applicant to fill up a form containing details such as their passport and other documents.
“These criteria are not only used for footballers but also national athletes and academics. Did they fulfil all the criteria? Yes.
“For the matters raised by Fifa, that falls under the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). Let them resolve that dispute.
“From the context of the Federal Constitution, it is very clear,” he said during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Saifuddin Nasution added that since 2018, some 23 foreign nationals had been naturalised to play for the national team.
He was responding to Kangar MP Zakri Hassan who asked about the matter.
According to Saifuddin Nasution, the Federal Constitution also states that the Home Minister has the discretion to waive the residential requirement of the applicant.
“This is not the first time it has been applied. It is for situations where the applicants can contribute to the country. They could be engineers, doctors, scientists and more,” he said.
At a press conference later, the Home Minister stressed that the National Registration Department (NRD) did not falsify any documents.
According to him, the birth certificates issued by NRD were in accordance with the law, adding that Fifa rules set four criteria for national team eligibility.
These are birthplace in the country, parents’ birthplace in the country, grandparents’ birthplace in the country, or five years’ residency in the country.
“Under Article 19 of the Federal Constitution, there is no need to present grandparents’ birth certificates.
“Either way, we have complied with all legislation on citizenship applications,” he added.
On Monday, Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee ruled that FAM had submitted forged documents to register seven heritage players.
The committee discovered major discrepancies between the original birth certificates obtained by Fifa and the ones submitted by FAM to support the players’ eligibility to represent Malaysia.
Under Fifa rules, a player is eligible to play for a country other than the one he was born in if one biological parent was born there, or a grandparent was born there or had lived continuously in that country for at least two years.
The seven players involved are Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Joao Figueiredo.
Fifa found both FAM and the players guilty of breaching Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, which pertains to the falsification and use of forged documents in official proceedings.
FAM has since refuted Fifa’s findings, saying that the description provided in the world body’s judgement is inaccurate and that the seven mixed-heritage players did not knowingly use falsified documents.
In a statement on Tuesday, FAM said Fifa’s claim that the players “obtained or were aware of forged documents” was unfounded.
FAM clarified that the issue arose from a wrong submission, describing it as an administrative error when a staff member mistakenly uploaded documents obtained from an agent instead of the official records issued by NRD.
An official appeal is being prepared with authentic, government-certified documents, FAM said. - Star, 10/10/2025
7 things about the Fifa verdict that rocked Malaysian football
Fifa’s ruling on forged ancestry documents reveals a story of ambition, oversight, and a stunning collapse of diligence.
Spanning
over 6,000 words, the Fifa ruling details how seven foreign-born
players were made to appear Malaysian through doctored ancestral birth
certificates. (Bernama pic)
Spanning over 6,000 words, the ruling details how seven foreign-born players were made to appear Malaysian through doctored ancestral birth certificates.
The forgeries quietly turned foreign grandparents into “Malaysians”, changing birthplaces from Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands to Penang, Melaka, Johor, and Sarawak.
The deception was not subtle. Fifa found that the certificates submitted to its eligibility proceedings had been forged.
It concluded that FAM and the players “illegally and successfully enjoyed the consequences” of those forgeries by fielding the men in an official match where five started, and two found the net.
The committee, chaired by Jorge Palacio of Colombia, called it “pure and simple, a form of cheating.”
It imposed a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.9 million) on FAM and year-long bans on all seven players who were each fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM11,000) as well.
Beyond the punishment, the judgment exposes the structural weakness of Malaysian football governance, and the peril of chasing quick results at the cost of integrity.
Here are seven insights from Fifa’s 6,000-word verdict that reveal how Malaysia’s football dream collapsed into a worldwide embarrassment.
1. The origins of a scandal
Malaysia’s naturalisation drive aimed to lift the national team’s fortunes by recruiting players with Malaysian ancestry.
But as eligibility reviews piled up, scrutiny from rival associations and Fifa’s legal department grew.
Questions arose over the authenticity of several players’ ancestral documents submitted by FAM.
What began as a routine eligibility check turned into a formal Fifa investigation.
The players involved are Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.
“The spark came from within the eligibility process itself,” the committee noted – what was meant to prove Malaysian heritage exposed how fragile the paper trail truly was.
2. What the probe uncovered
Fifa’s secretariat obtained the original birth certificates of the players’ grandparents directly from foreign registries and compared them with those FAM had filed.
The results were stark.
Every single ancestral birth certificate showed altered details – foreign birthplaces replaced with Malaysian towns to fabricate family links.
- María Belen Martín: changed from Santa Cruz de la Palma, Spain to Melaka, Malaysia
- Carlos Fernandez: Santa Fe, Argentina to Penang
- Omar Holgado Gardon: Buenos Aires, Argentina to George Town
… and so on, across seven players.
Fifa said it was “comfortably satisfied” that the documents were forged, finding “sharp contrasts” between the originals and those used in the eligibility cases.
3. The JPN admission that changed everything
A key twist came from Malaysia’s own national registration department (JPN).
In a statement submitted by FAM itself, JPN admitted it never received the players’ original foreign certificates.
Instead, it issued Malaysian copies using “secondary information” – and confessed it could not retrieve the original handwritten records.
Fifa called this revelation “an indication that the Malaysian government’s validation process may not have been based on original documents”, adding that it “calls into question the thoroughness of FAM’s verification process”.
That single paragraph shifted the case from potential clerical error to systemic failure.
4. The failure of diligence
FAM argued that it had exercised due diligence and acted in good faith, even claiming there was “no substantive effect” to the falsifications.
Fifa dismissed that defence outright.
If Fifa could easily obtain the originals from abroad, the committee reasoned, then FAM’s claim of having checked the documents was hollow.
Worse, FAM admitted it had been alerted by “external agencies” but failed to conduct independent verification.
Fifa did not, however, single out any specific FAM official for personal wrongdoing.
Its finding of liability was collective, rooted in the principle that an association bears responsibility for the actions of its members, even in the absence of personal intent.
It is a harsh but long-standing doctrine in football’s disciplinary system: accountability cannot be delegated.
The committee wrote: “FAM and the players did not exercise the necessary level of scrutiny or care.”
And the “substantive effect”? Two of the forged-document players scored in the 4–0 win over Vietnam.
Fifa said that fact alone proved the offence’s direct impact on competition integrity.
5. When forgery crosses into cheating
Beyond technical violations, Fifa framed its ruling in moral terms.
The act, it said, “strikes at the very core of the fundamental principles of football”.
Presenting fraudulent documentation to gain national team eligibility, the committee declared, was “pure and simple, a form of cheating”.
Such behaviour, it warned, “erodes trust in the fairness of competitions and jeopardises the very essence of football as an activity founded on honesty and transparency”.
This was not a paperwork lapse. It was a breach of fair play, a betrayal of football’s covenant of honesty.
6. The precedents and the punishments
To calibrate its sanctions, Fifa looked at earlier forgery cases:
Equatorial Guinea (Camila Nobre, 2015): Player fined 2,000 Swiss francs and banned 10 months; federation fined 40,000 and barred from the Olympics.
Club Chabab Mrirt (Morocco): Fined 50,000 Swiss francs and handed a two-window transfer ban.
Given seven forged cases, Fifa multiplied the baseline fine by seven – 50,000 Swiss francs per player – ordering FAM to pay 350,000 Swiss francs.
Each player was fined 2,000 Swiss francs and banned 12 months from all football activities.
“The sanctions are severe but necessary to protect the integrity of football,” Fifa concluded.
FAM and the affected players may still appeal to the Fifa Appeals Committee or, ultimately, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Yet such appeals seldom overturn the factual findings of forgery, only the degree of sanction.
In effect, the verdict stands firm in principle, if not in final form.
7. The fallout and the future
FAM has three days from notification to lodge an appeal, with five more to file its brief – an option it may yet take.
But whatever the legal outcome, the reputational damage is already immense.
The verdict has called into question Malaysia’s vetting process, its relationship with JPN, and its broader appetite for shortcuts in sports governance.
Beyond penalties, the case is likely to force a deeper internal reckoning.
Fifa’s findings have exposed structural gaps between FAM’s verification processes and the checks conducted by national agencies such as JPN and immigration department.
Strengthening that chain of custody – from paperwork to player registration – may now become an urgent governance priority.
Malaysia’s football establishment could also find itself under sharper international scrutiny.
Future player naturalisations and tournament registrations are now expected to face tighter audits – a direct consequence of this high-profile breach.
For a nation that prides itself on football passion, the scandal is a sobering reminder that glory built on falsehood cannot endure.
Fifa’s judgment is more than a sanction – it is a mirror. It reflects what happens when ambition outruns integrity.
Final whistle
Fifa’s ruling ends with a cold administrative note: fines due within 30 days, bans effective immediately.
But between those lines lies a deeper message — that in football, as in life, credibility is earned not by goals scored, but by the honesty of the process that puts players on the field. - FMT, 7/10/2025
Hannah Yeoh ‘saddened and angry’ over Fifa sanctions on Malaysian players, urges FAM to prioritise appeal
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to prioritise its appeal to Fifa following sanctions imposed on seven naturalised national players.
Yeoh said the suspensions affected not only the individuals involved but also the broader national team, according to the New Straits Times.
Fifa sanctioned the players for allegedly using forged documents during an Asia Cup qualifier against Vietnam earlier this year.
“The current priority is for FAM to complete the legal and international appeal process with Fifa until it is fully concluded. All parties must ensure this process is carried out with full integrity and transparency for the sake of Malaysia’s good name,” Yeoh said in a statement today.
The players sanctioned by Fifa are Gabriel Felipe Arrocha Palmero, Rodrigo Holgado, Facundo Tomas Garces, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
Fifa fined each player 2,000 Swiss francs (RM10,800) and suspended them from all football-related activities for 12 months, while FAM received a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs.
Yeoh expressed solidarity with Malaysian football fans and urged patience while the appeal process unfolds.
“Just like the many thousands of Harimau Malaya fans out there, I, too, am saddened and angry reading about Fifa’s decision. Let’s not jump the gun, allow the appeal process to be completed and then we take it from there,” she said.
She reaffirmed her commitment to athlete welfare, stating, “I remain committed to safeguard the rights and welfare of every Malaysian athlete, and it matters not if your name is Azizulhasni Awang, Pearly Tan, M. Thinaah, Pandelela Rinong, Gabriel or Rodrigo.” - Malay Mail, 27/9/2025
We won’t jump the gun, Yeoh says on possible probe into FAM
The youth and sports minister says the national football body should be allowed to complete its appeal process against a Fifa sanction first.
FAM and seven national players were sanctioned by Fifa last month after the global football body said FAM had submitted doctored documentation to field the players in an Asian Cup qualifier.
Yeoh said FAM’s ongoing appeal must first be concluded to ensure that the ministry’s subsequent actions are based on proper procedures and complete information, Buletin TV3 reported.
“I can see there are many suggestions right now. If we read the social media, there are all sorts of views and ideas because football is the people’s sport.
“But I think we have to go stage by stage. Let’s complete the appeal process first. Once that is done, then we can discuss whether to conduct an investigation or make improvements.
“If the appeal is not over but we’ve already started investigating, that would be like jumping the gun. Let FAM complete the appeal process first,” she said after visiting the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Academy in Kuala Lumpur.
She said FAM has not requested any assistance from her ministry regarding the appeal process as its lawyers are more knowledgeable about Fifa’s regulations.
Last month, Fifa alleged that FAM had submitted falsified documents to verify the seven players’ eligibility, which allowed them to play in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam in June.
All the seven players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel – featured in the match which Malaysia won 4-0.
FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8 million), while each player was individually fined 2,000 Swiss francs (about RM 10,560) and handed a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities.
Fifa’s disciplinary committee said that contrary to documents submitted by FAM claiming the players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia, its investigation found original records indicating they were born in Spain, Argentina, Brazil and the Netherlands.
Asian Football Confederation secretary-general Windsor Paul John said yesterday it would wait until FAM has exhausted every legal avenue before taking action against Harimau Malaya or local clubs fielding suspended players in the Malaysia League.
He said FAM has until March 31, 2026 – the final matchday of the Asian Cup qualifiers – to complete all appeals.
“AFC must wait until all legal processes are completed. Fifa’s disciplinary committee has issued its decision, and FAM’s next steps are to appeal to the Fifa appeals committee and then the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” he told Harian Metro.
He also said Fifa’s football tribunal had yet to finalise its ruling on the players’ eligibility. - FMT, 8/10/2025
Malaysian citizenship for Harimau Malaya heritage players followed the book, home minister says up to Fifa, FAM to resolve dispute
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today confirmed that the Malaysian citizenship granted to seven members of national squad Harimau Malaya was in full accordance with the law.
He said any inconsistency that has been raised by the International Federation of Association Football(Fifa) should be resolved by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
“So let me explain again, there were 23 football players who applied for citizenship, including the seven latest players.
“We referred to Article 19 of the Federal Constitution, Citizenship Rules 1964 and they applied on their own.
“The process is very clear, they came, we took their biometric and interviewed them and hence they got their citizenship,” Saifuddin Nasution said in the Dewan Rakyat.
In response to how the players were granted Malaysian citizenship, Saifuddin Nasution stressed that the naturalisation process is thorough and must meet three key constitutional requirements — the applicant must apply personally (without agents), must have resided in Malaysia for a qualifying period, and must demonstrate good conduct and sufficient command of Bahasa Melayu.
“All applicants must submit necessary documents such as passport and fill in the relevant Form C as required by the Citizenship Rules 1964.
“Once all conditions are met, the application is processed accordingly,” he said.
Addressing the controversy surrounding Fifa’s disciplinary action against the seven Harimau Malaya heritage players, Saifuddin Nasution said the issue of player eligibility is a football regulatory matter, governed by Fifa’s statutes.
“Fifa’s statutes state that a player can represent a country if either of four conditions is fulfilled — either the player was born in the country, one of the parents or grandparents was born there, or the player has lived continuously in the country for at least five years.
“That’s a matter between FAM and Fifa. From our side, all citizenship procedures were done according to the law and the Constitution,” he said, noting that the issue is currently being handled through FAM’s appeal process with Fifa.
In a press conference held later, Saifuddin Nasution also clarified that the Home Ministry’s National Registration Department (JPN) issued all relevant birth certificates under Section 10A of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957, which allows the Registrar-General to issue a birth certificate if satisfied with the evidence presented.
“Under Section 10A, the Registrar-General, if satisfied with documents and evidence submitted, under 10A no matter the provision of this section, the Registrar-General can grant a birth certificate and there is no provision that requires documentation of grandparents.
“This only became an issue when Fifa said they need to fulfil any one of their four statues. So when Fifa mentioned falsified documents, they were not referring to us (our documents).
“The only official document we issued was the birth certificate, which is valid and lawful under Section 10A,” he said.
Last month, FAM and seven heritage players were sanctioned by Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee after being found guilty of violating Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code related to documentary forgery.
In a statement reported by Bernama, Fifa said FAM had submitted forged documents to verify the eligibility of players, allowing them to be fielded in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10.
The seven heritage players penalised were Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.
As a result, FAM was fined CHF350,000 (RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (RM10,560) and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities effective from the date of the decision’s notification. - Malay Mail 9/10/2025
FIFA sanctions Football Association of Malaysia and seven players
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed sanctions on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano – for breaches of article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) concerning forgery and falsification.
The FAM had submitted eligibility enquiries to FIFA, and in doing so, it used doctored documentation to be able to field the above players.
All seven players played for Malaysia against Vietnam in the third round of qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 on 10 June 2025, after which FIFA received a complaint regarding the eligibility of Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
Following regular proceedings, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee evaluated all evidence on file and has imposed the following sanctions:
The Football Association of Malaysia has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 350,000 to FIFA.
The players Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano have each been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 2,000 to FIFA.
The aforementioned players have been further sanctioned with a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities, effective from the date of notification of the decision.
Further, the matter of the players’ eligibility to play for the representative team of Malaysia has been referred by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to the FIFA Football Tribunal for consideration.
FAM and its players have been notified of the terms of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision today. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com. The decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee. - FIFA Website
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