Top Malaysian official directs FAM to promptly appeal the citizenship scandal

In response to the illegal naturalization controversy, Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Hannah Yeoh, has strongly urged the national football association to take swift action.

Malaysian football remains shaken after FIFA concluded that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) used forged naturalization documents for seven players with supposed heritage ties. In light of this, Minister Hannah Yeoh demanded transparency, accountability from FAM, and a quick filing of an appeal to FIFA.

On her personal page, Hannah Yeoh confirmed she had reviewed the entire FIFA report and called on FAM to “act immediately”and complete the appeal process within the stipulated deadline.

“FAM must swiftly finalize the appeal procedure and publicly disclose information regarding this matter. The association cannot remain silent in the face of the revelations published by FIFA,” Hannah emphasized.

The Minister also stated that FAM must clearly explain to fans and the public instead of avoiding scrutiny during this sensitive period.

Hannah Yeoh acknowledged the wave of anger and disappointment among Malaysian football supporters following FIFA’s announcement. She expressed: “Domestic football fans feel hurt, angry, and disillusioned. But we must not forget the Malaysian players who continue to strive hard on the pitch.”

She also extended encouragement to the Malaysian national team, which will face Laos in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers this week. “We still need to support the players because they are not at fault in this situation. All Malaysians should stand behind the team,” she said.

According to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s announcement, the investigation concluded that the registration documents of the seven naturalized Malaysian players showed signs of forgery, as no relatives listed were verified to have been born in Malaysia as claimed by FAM.

As a result, FIFA fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs and banned the seven implicated players from competition for one year. This is regarded as the most serious scandal in Malaysian football history since the naturalization policy was implemented.

FAM quickly responded, affirming it will appeal FIFA’s entire decision, arguing that the players did not intentionally violate rules and that the documents were submitted through legal channels. The association described FIFA’s ruling as “inaccurate and unfair”.

Hannah Yeoh’s statement is seen as a firm signal from Malaysian authorities, indicating that the sports governing body does not intend to let the matter pass quietly. Domestic public opinion demands FAM take responsibility, fully disclose the naturalization procedures, and review player management systems to prevent similar violations in the future.