Malaysian fans angry over FIFA's sanctions: sports minister

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh expressed her disappointment in a statement released on Tuesday, revealing that she had read the full disciplinary report released by FIFA and urging FAM to publicly announce its intention to appeal and follow the necessary legal procedures.

"FAM must not remain silent and must respond clearly to all the revelations made by FIFA," Yeoh said in a statement, as quoted by New Straits Times.

Yeoh added that Malaysian football fans were hurt, angry and disappointed by the controversy, which has tarnished the national team's image.

Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. Photo by Instagram/@hannahyeoh

On the other hand, she urged the public not to abandon the national team, offering her continued support to both the players and FAM during the appeal process.

"We must also not forget the Harimau Malaya squad who will face Laos this week. To the Malaysian players, we are always with you," said Yeoh, referring to upcoming matches of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Yeoh's statement came after FIFA issued a detailed ruling on Monday night regarding its sanctions against Malaysia for falsifying foreign players' documents.

In the report, FIFA Disciplinary Committee (FDC) pointed out that FAM had submitted birth certificates claiming the grandparents of certain players were born in Malaysia, but the original documents obtained by FIFA said otherwise. The federation found out that the grandparents were instead born in Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain.

The report also revealed that the federation had begun disciplinary proceedings with Malaysia on Aug. 22. On that day, FAM president Joehari Ayub also resigned, citing health issues, leaving Yusoff Mahadi as the acting president, Malay Mail reported.

FIFA stated that FAM had failed to verify the original documents and only relied on copies issued by the National Registration Department of Malaysia (NRD), which did not have the original birth certificates in its records. Instead, the NRD relied on "secondary evidence" from abroad to confirm the Malaysian origins of these players, which led to violations.

Following Yeoh's statement, FAM has confirmed its intent to appeal, stating that all the necessary documents and evidence for the case are prepared and ready to be submitted to FIFA. The association also affirmed its commitment to protecting the interests of national football and ensuring a fair and transparent process.

FAM's statement, posted on Facebook, attracted thousands of comments, many of which voiced disappointment.

"You are descendants of traitors," one comment read, while others expressed frustration, with one user demanding the resignation of FAM officials.

HarimauMalaya, a supporter community of Malaysian football which boasts over 1.8 million followers, saw nearly 4,000 comments in just 10 hours after sharing the post about FIFA's decision. Many fans were critical of FAM, accusing them of dishonesty in the process of player naturalization.

Despite the sanctions, Malaysia will still compete in their next two matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, against Laos, scheduled for Oct. 9 and 14. The team, led by coach Peter Cklamovski, currently sit at the top of Group F with two wins from two matches against Nepal and Vietnam.

However, Malaysia face the possibility of 0-3 match forfeits for fielding ineligible players.