MPs submit emergency motions on Trump invite, Fifa's claims

PARLIAMENT | Lawmakers have submitted emergency motions for the Dewan Rakyat to debate citizenship issues concerning footballers and Putrajaya’s invitation to US President Donald Trump.

Both motions, submitted under Standing Order 18(1), called for the lower house to debate the issues to address growing public concern on the matters.

In particular, Chong Zhemin (Harapan-Kampar) today submitted a request for Parliament to discuss the International Federation of Association Football’s (Fifa) grounds behind its ruling to sanction the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven “heritage” players.

In a letter to Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin, the DAP lawmaker stressed that the matter raises serious questions about the transparency of national sports governance, the athlete naturalisation process, and the level of oversight on official national documents.

“There is a possibility of legal violations involving the falsification of official documents, which requires thorough investigation and immediate action by the authorities,” Chong (above) argued in the letter.

He added that Parliament should debate and decide on immediate government measures, including explaining to the public the administrative, disciplinary, and legal actions that will be taken against FAM and any individuals involved in alleged misdeeds.

Besides setting stricter guidelines and procedures to verify documents for naturalising athletes, he also called for a comprehensive audit of all ongoing athlete naturalisation cases to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

The motion further pushed for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to investigate the causes of failure in the verification process and determine whether there was any falsification of official national documents.

Last night, Fifa asserted that the seven “heritage” footballers granted Malaysian citizenship don't have any grandparents born in the country as claimed.

The global football body also revealed it had acquired the original birth documents of the players’ "Malaysian-born" grandparents, which contradicted the allegedly doctored documents submitted by the Malaysian side.

It also cast doubt on the National Registration Department’s (NRD) verification of the players’ supposed Malaysian heritage.

In a statement responding to Fifa's bombshell, FAM maintained its position, rejecting that documents were doctored and contending that Fifa did not provide any evidence to support its forgery claims.

Insisting it was tied by the Official Secrets Act and the Passport Act from publicly revealing any of its evidence supporting its claims, FAM said it would be filing a formal appeal against the Fifa ruling, which it previously attributed to a “technical error”.

MP: Trump leader with ‘most pro-Israeli policies’

In a statement today, Amzad Hashim (PN-Kuala Terengganu) said the Dewan Rakyat speaker had yesterday received his motion to debate Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s invitation for Trump to attend the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

The motion, he said, requires urgency as the Asean Summit is expected to take place in less than a month, and Parliament’s decision is crucial to ensure Malaysia is not perceived as recognising a “leader who supports Zionist oppression”.

The PAS parliamentarian also said the issue involves a specific matter as it concerns the government’s official action in inviting a figure who had pursued the “most pro-Israeli policies” in modern history.

“(The motion) is also of public interest (as) it touches on national dignity, Malaysia’s foreign policy principles, and the sensitivities of Muslims worldwide, especially following Israel’s aggression toward the Global Sumud Flotilla, which included Malaysian volunteers,” he added.

Previously, the government explained that as the Asean chair this year, Malaysia was obliged to invite all dialogue partners to the summit. It said the opportunity would be used to convey Malaysia’s stance on Gaza directly to Trump.

Although Malaysia remains concerned about Palestine’s plight, the government maintained that it must assess the objectives behind Asean’s official invitation to Trump.

Yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin told Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal not to be “more Hamas than Hamas.”

The deputy minister said this in response to the Bersatu lawmaker’s supplementary question, expressing disappointment with the government’s justification for Trump’s invitation.

Reporting by Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, Alyaa Alhadjri, Haspaizi Zain

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