Malaysia PM Anwar Vows Transparent Probe Into Football Forgery Scandal

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has promised a full and transparent investigation into alleged document forgery involving the country’s national football team, following a suspension by FIFA of seven naturalised players. Anwar stressed that there would be no cover-up, but the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) must be allowed to defend itself. He added that the government would not act solely based on FIFA’s findings.

The controversy began after FIFA found that false documents were used to grant Malaysian nationality to seven foreign-born players, allowing them to play in an Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam. The players affected include Facundo Garces, Gabriel Arrocha, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel. The documents submitted by FAM were found to have discrepancies when compared with official records obtained by FIFA.

Following the scandal, FAM suspended its secretary-general and set up an independent committee to investigate internally. The association also announced plans to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Anwar Ibrahim said the investigation should proceed without interference but must be fair, adding, “Go ahead and investigate. That has been the instruction. But then again, the process has to go on.”

The seven players were suspended for 12 months by FIFA in September. The suspension sparked public outrage, with fans and some lawmakers calling for action against FAM officials and the government bodies that issued the citizenship documents.

Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh, clarified that her ministry cannot remove FAM officials, as government interference could risk a broader FIFA suspension, affecting all levels of Malaysian football, including youth and women’s teams. However, the ministry has proposed withholding additional funding from FAM until the investigation is complete.

This scandal has drawn attention to the process of granting nationality to foreign-born players in Malaysia and the oversight of football administration in the country. FIFA’s investigation revealed serious discrepancies in documents provided by FAM, and Malaysia’s government now faces pressure to ensure full accountability while respecting the independence of its football governing body.