KUALA LUMPUR — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has referred the recent controversy involving the Jalur Gemilang to both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Asean Football Federation (AFF), urging them to take appropriate action.
The incident occurred during Malaysia’s Asean Under-23 Championship match against Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Monday, where the national team held the hosts to a 0-0 draw.
FAM president Datuk Mohd Joehari Mohd Ayub said he views the incident seriously and regrets that it happened during an international fixture.
“We do not condone such acts, whether at national or international level. We are working with AFC and AFF to determine the next course of action,” he said after launching the 2025 National Women’s League (LWN) here today.
The controversy erupted after a screenshot showing the Jalur Gemilang being crossed out with an ‘X’ and held upside down by Indonesian fans went viral on social media.
Malaysia’s draw against Indonesia saw them finish third in Group A with four points, missing out on a semi-final spot. Indonesia topped the group with seven points, followed by the Philippines with six. Brunei ended the group stage without any points.
Malaysia had opened their campaign with a 2-0 loss to the Philippines, before bouncing back to thrash Brunei 7-1. Against Indonesia, the team needed a win to progress, while the hosts required only a draw.
Separately, Joehari said FAM will consult its legal team on further action against an Indonesian football commentator who falsely claimed that Malaysia had been suspended by FIFA until 2027.
The commentator, speaking on a podcast, also alleged that FAM had fielded players with “unclear” heritage to strengthen the national squad.
Malaysia’s current squad features seven new heritage players, including Facundo Garcés, Joao Figueiredo, Imanol Machuca and Rodrigo Holgado.
The team made headlines last month after a 4-0 win over Vietnam in their second Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifiers at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Harimau Malaya currently lead Group F with six points, ahead of Vietnam and Laos (three points each), while Nepal sit bottom with no points. — July 24, 2025