Lawyer worries FAM is 'passing the buck to the police' to avoid internal accountability

Lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli condemns FAM for its slow response and overdependence on the police regarding the forged document controversy, rather than taking initiative to self-examine and correct internally.

Former Disciplinary Committee Member Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Mr. Nik Erman Nik Roseli, believes that while FAM’s filing of a police report about the suspected document forgery was necessary, this action came too late and is insufficient to fully resolve the issue.

According to Mr. Nik Erman, FAM should have reported the matter to authorities from the beginning, instead of waiting for recommendations from other parties. “Reporting to the police is the right step, but it should have been done earlier. Nevertheless, this will help ensure the investigation proceeds more swiftly and transparently,” he stated.

Previously, the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) conducted an internal inquiry and summoned several witnesses, but some reportedly did not fully cooperate, causing delays in clarifying the matter. After the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) took over, experts believe the investigation will intensify and help identify the offenders clearly.

Nik Erman suggests that if the investigation reveals wrongdoing from within FAM, it would be a major shock to the organization. If the culprits are outsiders, FAM might avoid criminal liability but will still face harsh criticism for lax management and poor internal controls.

He added: “What worries me is that FAM might rely too heavily on the investigators and neglect to conduct self-assessment and address operational flaws. Even if the misconduct was caused by outsiders, the question remains: how were they able to interfere with FAM’s system so easily?”

According to this sports lawyer, FAM needs to review its entire governance framework and internal processes, clearly defining individual responsibilities instead of just awaiting police conclusions. “Without management reforms, similar incidents could easily recur in the future,” he emphasized.