Mass quitting looms at FAM as citizenship row threatens ban: Report

In an apparent “strategic retreat” purportedly to safeguard the country’s football future, the executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is expected to resign en masse.

The resignations are set to occur as early as next week, the New Straits Times reported.

This comes amid a credibility crisis surrounding FAM over a citizenship scandal, which saw seven foreign-born footballers granted citizenship under the guise of having long-lost Malaysian heritage.

The report quoted an unnamed source close to FAM claiming that the move is a calculated attempt to prevent a full takeover by a normalisation committee appointed by the International Association Football Federation (Fifa).

NST reported that, via the strategy, FAM’s leadership aims to initiate an “internal cleansing”, allowing a temporary committee to oversee a fresh extraordinary election congress.

“The goal is to show Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that FAM is capable of self-correction.

“If the exco stays and a suspension is imposed, FAM loses all control. By resigning now, they are effectively hitting the reset button on their own terms,” the source reportedly said.

‘Mass sacrifice’

NST reported that the decision follows a meeting held a fortnight ago, where 13 executive committee members weighed the risks of international isolation.

While a small group initially resisted the proposal, consensus eventually shifted towards a “mass sacrifice” to protect the future of the domestic league and the national team.

A press conference to announce the transition is expected on Jan 28.

The AFC had previously warned that any Fifa suspension would have serious consequences, including Malaysia’s national teams and clubs being barred from international competitions

On Jan 8, FAM acting president Yusoff Mahadi said that the football governing body’s priority is to avoid a ban.

“Resignation may be necessary, but there are two or three other options we are studying.

READ MORE: 'Heritage' players: FAM suspends sec-gen, probe underway

“Whatever decision we make, it must be collective. We swim together, we sink together, or we succeed together,” NST reported him saying.

Disputed citizenship approval

In the footballers’ case, Home Minister Saifuddin Nastution Ismail had exercised his discretion to waive a requirement that they reside in Malaysia for at least 10 years before becoming citizens.

Fifa’s investigations revealed that two of the players were allowed to sit for a citizenship test and granted MyKads within two days of getting their entry permits into the country.

The players even passed their Bahasa Malaysia test despite admitting to Fifa that they don’t speak the language at all.

Meanwhile, the National Registration Department (NRD) did not appear to have done due diligence on the supporting documents submitted by the players, namely birth certificates purporting that their grandparents were born in Malaysia.

Fifa found the documents to be forged, with one showing clear signs of tampering. It also found that documents from the players themselves showed that their grandparents had no connection with Malaysia.

Neither Saifuddin nor the NRD have admitted to any wrongdoing in the issue, which the police have recently launched an investigation into after FAM finally lodged a police report.

The police report was lodged after an independent probe into who purportedly falsified the birth certificates of the seven heritage players hit a roadblock, with crucial documents withheld and implicated parties refusing to cooperate, the panel said.

In its 59-page report, the four-member independent investigation committee (IIC) said its investigation is limited, as it lacked legal powers to demand documents, compel people to attend interviews, or examine records forensically.

IIC also called on FAM to lodge a police report, since Fifa accused FAM and the seven players of forging or falsifying official documents, which is a criminal offence under Malaysian law.

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