KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has rubbished unfounded claims that it might face penalties from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for supposedly including ineligible heritage players.
FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman told Scoop that the claims were entirely unfounded and politically driven.
“The allegations are absolute rubbish and make no sense. We followed a lengthy and detailed procedure for the heritage players, and both FIFA and AFC were kept fully informed throughout the process via proper documentation.
“FIFA and AFC are smart enough to detect any wrongdoing, and action would have already been taken against us if there had been any irregularities. Why would they wait? Clearly, there is no fault on our part.
“Those who remain bitter can continue to be bitter. We have more important matters to attend to. We won’t waste time entertaining baseless accusations.
“Our president has already spoken to the press last week, but let me reiterate — FIFA has reviewed the process, and we have complied with all rules and regulations,” said Azman when contacted.
Azman’s response comes after Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Nguyễn Văn Phú told Scoop that he was frustrated, adding that the federation is still puzzled about how FAM was able to speed up the heritage player process so quickly.
“The heritage and naturalisation process is quite complex and often lengthy. For example, when we dealt with the cases of Huỳnh Kesley Alves, Đặng Văn Lâm, Nguyễn Filip, Nguyễn Xuân Son, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, and Lê Khắc Viktor, it took at least six months, and sometimes even longer.
“We prioritise transparency in our process and ensure that all involved parties are kept informed. I have serious doubts that FIFA was fully aware of FAM’s procedures, and I truly hope there wasn’t any misuse of their system. I call on FIFA to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this issue.
“We want to communicate directly with FIFA. We will not stay silent and will take action if necessary,” Văn Phú told Scoop.
Earlier, a report from the Indonesian outlet Disway ID, suggested that Harimau Malaya’s 4-0 win against Vietnam on June 10 might be reversed, possibly granting Vietnam a 3-0 victory instead.
The report also claimed that FAM might be subject to a fine of USD 2 million (RM9.4 million) and could face further penalties if FIFA and the AFC discover any evidence of tampering with documents related to the players’ heritage.
At the same time, certain Indonesian media sources have indicated that an internal investigation by FIFA found discrepancies in the players’ documentation.
However, as of now, there have been no official statements from either FIFA or the AFC, and no formal complaints have been released to the public.
Even without solid evidence or official actions, the matter has sparked interest among football fans in Southeast Asia, especially on social media, where many are urging for a formal investigation.
Five newly-inducted heritage players — Facundo Garcés, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, and Jon Irazabal — made their debuts in last month’s Asian Cup qualifier, prompting critics in Indonesia and Vietnam to question the legitimacy of their Malaysian roots.
Machuca, Holgado and Garcés hail from Argentina, Figueiredo from Brazil, and Irazabal from Spain. Thus far, only Garcés has publicly acknowledged that his Malaysian heritage comes through his grandmother.
Peter Cklamovski’s Malaysia currently lead Group F with six points, followed by Vietnam and Laos (three points each) and Nepal (zero). Malaysia began their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Nepal in March, before their dominant triumph over Vietnam. – July 3, 2025