Boxing and football may seem worlds apart, but boxing parlance aptly describes the barrage of blows suffered by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Two left hooks left the boxer staggering, and despite the trainer’s insistence that there was more fight left, the uppercut sent him crashing to the canvas - a knockout that would end his career.
If the Malaysian football saga was reported like a bout, the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa)’s two blows would have been enough to warrant a strategic retreat.
Yet, FAM’s leaders refused to throw in the towel and instead chose to “go to war” at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), only to be met with an uppercut that left them sprawled on the canvas.
Everyone loves a winner - the sweet taste of glory, the rewards of victory. But failure? Failure flips the script. Friends vanish. Reputation crumbles. Authority is stripped away.
Suddenly, you are the villain. The same fans who cheered now tear you apart. The scrutiny intensifies - especially when the truth about breaking the rules comes to light. There is nowhere to hide.
The entire FAM committee has resigned. But who is really taking the fall?
On March 17, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) found that FAM had violated the rules by fielding ineligible players in two 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers matches last year.
Following the finding, the AFC slapped FAM with a fine of US$50,000 (RM196,000) and nullified Malaysia’s wins in the two matches, which ended with the scores: Malaysia 2-Nepal 0 and Malaysia 4-Vietnam 0.
The AFC disciplinary and ethics committee decided that Malaysia lost 3-0 for both matches, based on Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.
Govt’s role in citizenship scandal
Even political leaders joined the chorus. PKR Youth chief Kamil Abdul Munim vented his feelings on social media.
“Penyudahnya ‘cekelat angin’,” he said on X, which roughly translates to “We got nothing in the end”.
But Kamil is barking up the wrong tree. He should have sought answers from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whom FAM thanked for “facilitating the citizenship papers” for the seven foreign players.
Was it not his party stalwart and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who aided in getting citizenship for the seven?
The prime minister also allocated RM30 million for the national football squad. Shouldn’t he and Saifuddin be providing answers instead of maintaining stoic silence, Kamil?
The government was also complicit in the issuance of the false birth certificates and other documents, as confirmed by National Registration Department head honcho Badrul Hisham Alias.
Royal rebuke
But the issue has not ended. They say it never rains, but it pours.
On the heels of the CAS decision two weeks ago, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim or TMJ, as he is known, has made startling allegations against certain FAM officials - past and present.
The regent claimed he is being made a scapegoat in the scandal and is instead blaming FAM insiders who he claimed had an axe to grind with him over financial matters.
In a post on X, Tunku Ismail claimed that some in FAM had approached him for projects, and to avoid MACC investigations, among others.
These individuals, he claimed, were also unhappy that the government channelled funds directly to the national football team - implying it was because they did not get a cut of the funds.
In a series of social media posts, he alleged misuse and abuse of power and money. In one, he wrote: “Ask him to explain where the TV rights money and sponsorship money that should have gone to each team that competed for years went? Whose pocket?
“Is he still disappointed that his son does not work for FAM anymore because there were issues with the staff?”
In another post, he slammed a former manager of Harimau Malaya.
Those named have retreated into a cocoon, refusing to comment on the allegations.
Due for an overhaul
Football in Malaysia is not just on the ropes; it’s down for the count. It is a multi-million-ringgit enterprise with large amounts flowing through ticket sales, TV rights, sponsorship, allocations from Fifa, etc.
Rightly, it should be run like a commercial organisation, but this is not the case. It is being run like a family-owned business.
Accountability cannot stop at resignations because they risk becoming a convenient exit - a way for those responsible to slip quietly into the shadows without ever answering for the roles they played.
We need a forensic audit conducted by an independent, third-party body with no ties to FAM, no political affiliations, and no vested interests.
This audit must trace the flow of every single ringgit - from broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals, to government allocations and development funds. It must ask the hard questions: Who approved these deals? Who benefited? And who tried to silence those who raised concerns?
Transparency is not just about opening the books; it is about restoring the faith of millions of Malaysians who love this sport. The fans who pack the stadiums, the children who dream of wearing the Harimau Malaya jersey.
Reforms must follow. Not cosmetic changes, not a reshuffling of the same faces, but a fundamental overhaul of how Malaysian football is governed.
That means stronger oversight, stricter conflict of interest rules, and real consequences for those who abuse their power.
The time for an independent audit is now. Not next month. Not next year. Now.
Because every day we wait, the rot deepens, and the trust of the nation erodes further. Malaysian football has been knocked to the canvas - but whether we get back up depends on whether we dare to clean house, once and for all. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is an award-winning journalist whose journalistic career has spanned more than five decades. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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