Speaker: No need to debate FAM sanctions, 'heritage' players

Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul has rejected a backbencher’s emergency motion to debate the International Federation of Association Football’s (Fifa) sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven “heritage” players.

The decision was conveyed by the speaker via an Oct 9 letter to Kampar MP Chong Zhemin, who submitted the motion on Oct 7.

In the letter shared with Malaysiakini, Johari ruled that the issue had already been addressed by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in Parliament yesterday during the Minister Question Time.

“Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order 18(7)(b), I am rejecting the motion to the chamber,” Johari added.

The cited rule stipulates that a speaker holds the power to not allow any motion submitted to him if he is satisfied that the matter detailed in the motion has been addressed in the current session and that the relevant minister has provided clarification.

Previously, in a letter to Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin, DAP’s Chong stressed that the matter raises serious questions about the transparency of national sports, 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 argued in the letter seeking the speaker’s approval for a debate.

He added that Parliament should 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.

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 falsification of official documents.

Minister defends NRD’s decisions

Yesterday, Saifuddin told the lower house that he had exercised his power granted under the Federal Constitution to consider the seven “heritage” footballers as fit to be granted Malaysian citizenship.

He also defended the National Registration Department’s (NRD) decision to produce birth certificates for the players’ grandparents, amid Fifa’s finding that the grandparents were not born in Malaysia.

Fifa’s revelation that it had acquired the original birth documents of the players’ “Malaysian-born” grandparents, which contradicted the allegedly doctored documents submitted by the Malaysian side, has since garnered widespread calls for accountability.

On Sept 26, Fifa announced that it had imposed sanctions against FAM and the seven players for breaches of Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code on forgery and falsification.

Fifa determined that FAM must pay a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.9 million), while each of the seven players was also slapped with a 2,000 Swiss francs (RM10,500) fine.

The players, Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano, were also suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities.

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