Malaysian Football Association leaders are urged to resign collectively

Malaysian football is facing one of the gravest challenges in recent times after FIFA imposed penalties linked to the scandal of falsifying paperwork for seven foreign players to play for Malaysia’s national team.

This incident has not only sparked intense criticism from fans but also led to strong demands for accountability from the highest leadership of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

Veteran football expert Zakaria Rahim recently publicly called for the entire FAM executive committee to resign in order to take responsibility for systemic failures. "If the FAM leadership truly loves football and does not want Malaysian football to be buried, especially with SEA Games 34 being hosted in Kuala Lumpur, they should step down to preserve their dignity."- Zakaria wrote this on his personal page.

Zakaria emphasized that continuing to hold power under the current circumstances only shows that the FAM leadership is prioritizing personal interests over the future of Malaysian football.He believes that if the leaders genuinely care about the development of the sport, they should voluntarily step aside to allow for a new, transparent, and more professional management team.

The situation worsened when FAM confirmed it had filed a police report regarding allegations of forged documents involving seven players: Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garced, Imanol Machucha, and Rodrigo Holgado. These players were once expected to boost the national team’s strength but have now become the center of an unprecedented scandal.

FAM’s Acting President Datuk Yusoff Mahadi stated that the decision to report to the police was based on recommendations from the independent investigation committee (CAS). However, this move has not been enough to calm public opinion, as many believe responsibility should not stop at damage control but must be investigated thoroughly at the executive level.

The timing of the crisis adds pressure on Malaysian football, as SEA Games 34 is scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur and football is one of the key sports. Without stabilizing the management soon, there is a real risk that Malaysian football could miss the chance to revive itself on home soil.