KUALA LUMPUR: Sports analyst Datuk Pekan Ramli hopes the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will finally face reality following the FIFA Appeal Committee's condemnation of their handling of the document falsification scandal.
In its motivated decision released on Tuesday, the committee revealed that FAM deliberately submitted altered birth certificates falsely claiming players' grandparents were born in Malaysia to satisfy the "grandfather rule"— a claim contradicted by original documents from multiple nations.
Due to the criminal nature of the acts, FIFA has directed its Disciplinary Committee to inform authorities in Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, and Spain.
The investigation will focus on the roles of suspended FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman and FIFA-licensed agents Nicolás Puppo and Frederico Moraes, alongside a separate probe into the use of these ineligible players in three friendly matches.
Pekan stated that FIFA has laid bare FAM's failure to demonstrate meaningful remedial action. He noted that FAM has neither identified those responsible nor initiated structural reforms, highlighting a critical lack of accountability and transparency within the organisation.
"FIFA has exposed FAM's wrongdoing, leaving them completely stripped bare.
FIFA has put out a comprehensive report, and their tone suggests they are angry and disappointed with FAM," said Pekan.
"FIFA is saying, 'You have lied.' This is an embarrassing episode that involves government agencies and raises questions regarding good governance. It is disappointing, and FIFA is upset that no one is being held responsible for this issue."
"FIFA wants action taken against the individuals responsible and for FAM not to shield anyone. FAM needs to think about Malaysian football, not certain individuals. A wrong is a wrong; there is no way it can be justified."
Pekan added that he is puzzled as to why none of the FAM stakeholders or affiliates are raising questions regarding this gross misconduct.
"I don't see any FAM stakeholders or affiliate members making any remarks on this. Why is no one questioning FAM or asking for a revamp? If they are scared to speak out individually, they can combine to submit a joint memorandum," he said.
"That would be the logical response from the affiliates. FAM is in critical condition; if the affiliates keep quiet, they are accomplices in this matter." - NST
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