KUALA LUMPUR – Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (TMJ) has vowed that Malaysia will not bow to parties seeking to derail the national team’s progress, following FIFA’s shock sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven naturalised players.
“Why should we be afraid or bow to individuals who fear the rise of the Harimau Malaya? We fight on regardless — we stand brave because we are in the right,” TMJ declared on social media, pledging to fight the decision.
On Friday, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee fined FAM CHF350,000 (about RM1.8 million) and banned seven players for 12 months, alleging that falsified documents were used to confirm their eligibility in official matches.
The players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano – were each fined CHF2,000 (around RM10,560). They featured in two Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches, including the June 10 tie against Vietnam that triggered a formal complaint.
TMJ questioned FIFA’s sudden change of stance, pointing out that the global body had earlier approved the players’ registrations after a thorough process involving FAM and the Malaysian Government.
“FAM had followed the process and cooperated with FIFA and the Malaysian Government. FIFA had approved before – why change the decision now? What happened to cause such a sudden ruling? Was there outside influence?” he asked.
TMJ also highlighted the speed with which FIFA released its decision publicly despite the appeal process still being ongoing.
“Another question is that punishment was handed down without giving reasons. FIFA quickly released the decision even though the appeal is not complete. Who was in New York?” he said, urging FAM to lodge an appeal as soon as possible.
As part of his post, TMJ shared a witness statement from the director-general of National Registration Department (NRD), Badrul Hisham Alias.
In the statement dated September 19, Badrul confirmed that all seven players went through the proper procedures to obtain Malaysian citizenship under Article 19 of the Federal Constitution.
He explained that NRD had verified the players’ lineage through their grandparents, cross-checked foreign and domestic records, and issued official copies of birth records when originals were not available.
The NRD affirmed that “all due diligence and lawful procedures were observed” and that the citizenship certificates were issued in full compliance with Malaysian law.
Former sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin also weighed in via Instagram, sharing a simple flowchart of the FAM player registration process – from verifying ancestry to obtaining a Malaysian passport and FIFA approval.
“Strange. FIFA already granted approval as per the process shown. That means FIFA had already vetted the documents and done the necessary due diligence before allowing the seven to play for Malaysia. Why change their minds now? Who lodged the complaint?” he wrote.
FAM is now expected to file an appeal against FIFA’s ruling. TMJ called on the association to act swiftly, insisting Malaysia must defend its rights and not be intimidated.
The controversy has shaken Malaysian football, but TMJ’s message was clear: the fight for justice, and for the Harimau Malaya’s future, is far from over. — September 27, 2025