KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has urged the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to be transparent and accountable following FIFA’s explosive ruling that penalised the national football body and seven players over falsified ancestry documents.
In a statement on social media today, Hannah said she had read FIFA’s full reasoning and called on FAM to immediately complete the appeal process by formally declaring its intention and submitting the appeal within the prescribed timeline.
“FAM must complete the appeal process and announce its intention to appeal and file it,” she said.
The minister stressed that FAM could not remain silent and must clearly respond to the revelations made by FIFA.
“FAM cannot stay quiet and must give a clear explanation regarding all the disclosures made by FIFA,” she added.
Hannah also acknowledged the anger and disappointment felt by Malaysian football fans in the wake of the scandal.
“Local football supporters feel hurt, angry, and disappointed,” she said.
However, she reminded Malaysians not to lose sight of the national team’s upcoming commitments, particularly the Harimau Malaya squad’s Asian Cup qualifying match against Laos later this week.
“We must not forget our Harimau Malaya team, who will face Laos this week. To our Malaysian players, we stand with you,” she said.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee recently concluded its investigation and found that documents submitted by FAM during the registration of seven “heritage players” contained inconsistencies, ruling that none of the family members listed were born in Malaysia. The global body subsequently fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.9 million) and imposed year-long bans on the players involved.
FAM has since confirmed that it will appeal the ruling, maintaining that the players acted in good faith and that the documents were obtained through proper channels. The association described FIFA’s findings as “inaccurate and unfair.”
Hannah’s remarks reflect growing public pressure for FAM to provide clarity and accountability as Malaysia grapples with the fallout from one of its biggest football controversies in recent years. – October 7, 2025