'Naturalized players are Malaysians on paper; they are not like us!'

28/10/2025 15:18:00 pandatv

A highly reputable Malaysian football agent spoke out after FIFA suspended seven Malaysian naturalized players for allegedly falsifying documents, stating that the country's football is facing a crisis of accountability and transparency.

Malaysian football is undergoing a major crisis as FIFA has decided to suspend seven naturalized players for 12 months due to suspected document forgery. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was also fined, severely damaging the credibility of the nation's football scene.

The incident erupted last month, spreading widely in public opinion and even being discussed in Parliament, involving the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) and the National Registration Department (JPN). Amid this tense situation, several prominent figures in Malaysian football have voiced their opinions. One of them is veteran agent Effendi Jagan Abdullah, who believes this incident serves as a wake-up call for the entire system, from FAM to player agents directly involved in the naturalization and registration process.

Ông Jagan Abdullah là nhân vật nổi tiếng trong giới môi giới cầu thủ ở Malaysia. (Ảnh: Stadiumastro) — Mr. Jagan Abdullah is a well-known figure among football agents in Malaysia. (Photo: Stadiumastro)

Earlier, the Johor Crown Prince and owner of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) club, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, held a special press conference to clarify the matter, emphasizing that responsibility lies not only with the governing bodies but also with the agents who introduce players.

From a professional perspective, Jagan Abdullah shared with Astro Arena: “The Johor Crown Prince (TMJ) also mentioned that there are many agents introducing players. Providing complete documents to FAM depends on the agents. If the agents submit false documents, they must be held accountable. Right? This is a serious matter, so everyone needs to be extremely cautious.”

Jagan Abdullah also emphasized: “These players are considered Malaysians according to official documents, but they are not like us who were born and raised here.” This statement quickly spread, reflecting the common concern about the nationality verification process in Malaysian football — where FIFA always demands transparency and international standards. It also confirmed that the verification of related players’ documents must be carried out with utmost care.