FAM's old guard returns: Cheating forgiven, trust forgotten

 

In January, the entire 17-member of Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) executive committee stepped down en masse after an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) governance review.

It was then termed the turning point in cleansing the game of its ills and restoring the reputation of Malaysian football.

The move was aimed at safeguarding the association’s integrity and reputation, while minimising the risk of further fallout for Malaysian football, with officials saying that restoring public trust and support was a key consideration behind the decision.

The mass resignation was expected to allow investigations and internal processes to proceed without interference, while also paving the way for new measures and reforms to be implemented smoothly.

Most stakeholders want to see these weaknesses addressed and are prioritising genuine reform over election matters, declared then-acting president Yusoff Mahadi.

“This collective resignation is a prudent and principled step to protect the integrity of FAM, uphold good governance, and give the AFC and Fifa (International Federation of Association Football) the necessary room to assess administrative reforms without prejudice,” he said.

They did the right thing after dragging the country’s reputation and status through the swamps to the sewers, and yet they want to be “forgiven” despite having spewed a series of half-truths and fibs.

However, they could not hide a whole pumpkin in a heap of rice.

It was not the proverbial Tamil proverb of "You can tell a thousand lies to make one marriage happen”. It was a series of lies, each concocted to convince Malaysia that the administration of football has been nothing less than squeaky clean.

Series of actions

First, they suspended its secretary-general for the fiasco involving the fielding of seven foreigners in an Asia Cup qualifier last June.

Then they blamed “clerical staff” for “technical errors” in uploading the wrong documents.

There were shouts of bravado, and then Yusoff described the next move as “a major war” to defend Malaysia’s footballing reputation, declaring that all resources would be used.

Yusoff insisted FAM will be “ready with all the documents and relevant details” to overturn Fifa’s ruling.

Yet the irony is glaring: the very documents that triggered this scandal have already been deemed falsified.

I had then asked: “But what kind of war is this, when the generals march empty-handed? The birth certificates of the players’ grandparents presented by FAM are forged. CAS will have access to the originals, and FAM will be left with egg - not honour - on their faces.”

The irony is that FAM filed a report at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters on a supposed forgery as if they were innocent parties to the issue - akin to a thief reporting to the police that a theft had taken place!

Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Rusdi Isa said two statements have been recorded and an investigation paper has been opened under Section 468 of the Penal Code for forgery, as reported by New Straits Times earlier this year.

But when the FAM openly and officially thanks the prime minister for “facilitating the citizenship” of the foreign players, some soft-pedalling can be expected from our officialdom.

However, the indictments by three international bodies - Fifa's disciplinary committee, its Appeals Committee and the Centre for Arbitration in Sports (CAS) exposed their complicity in one of the biggest sports scandals that hit our shores.

Besides, the damning findings of the Enforcement Agencies Integrity Commission (EAIC) laid bare the sordid details - the involvement of government officials in facilitating fraud, deceit and outright lies.

Vying for positions again

But how does FAM intend to “restore public trust and support” when many of those who reigned have offered themselves - yet again to be part of the administration?

Has all been forgotten? According to news reports, most of them will be in the saddle next weekend - on Sept 17, when the biennial general meeting is held, dictating how football will be run.

Based on a list of individuals who have received notification of their nomination eligibility and confirmed their intention to proceed, obtained by NST, an analysis reveals that 17 of 28 candidates are established FAM insiders, past exco veterans or members of the leadership lineup that vacated their seats seven months ago.

Only 11 candidates represent newcomers who have never sat on the national governing body's executive board.

Of the 17 insiders, 12 candidates were members of the short-lived 2025-2029 exco that resigned en masse in January, with several pre-2025 heavyweights attempting comebacks.

Fifa’s damning verdict

Let us be reminded of what the Fifa Disciplinary Committee had to say last October: “Using fraudulent documentation to allow a player to compete constitutes, pure and simple, a form of cheating, which cannot in any way be condoned.

“Such conduct erodes trust in the fairness of competitions and jeopardises the very essence of football as an activity founded on honesty and transparency.”

So, some of those who had a hand in or admitted complicity in this whole affair may be next to decide on the future of Malaysian football.

The old boys’ network is reassembling, but with their reputation in tatters and held in contempt by Fifa, will this be acceptable?

The mass resignation of FAM’s exco was hailed as a watershed moment - a cleansing of rot, clearing the swamp, a chance to restore integrity.

Yet seven months later, the same faces are circling back, eager to reclaim the reins of power. This is not reform; it is recycling.

The AFC governance review and the Fifa disciplinary rulings laid bare the fraud, deceit, and complicity that dragged Malaysian football into global disgrace.

The EAIC findings exposed government officials greasing the machinery of lies. And yet, those who presided over forged documents, half-truths, and hollow bravado now seek forgiveness without accountability, redemption without reform.

Fifa’s words last October must not be forgotten: “Using fraudulent documentation to allow a player to compete constitutes, “pure and simple, a form of cheating”.

Cheating corrodes trust, destroys credibility, and poisons the very essence of sport.

If Malaysian football allows the old guard to march back into office, it signals to the world that deceit carries no consequence, that governance is a charade, and that integrity is expendable.

The question is not whether FAM can survive another scandal - it is whether Malaysian football can survive another betrayal.

Unless competent “outsiders” with a commitment to good governance, integrity, and fairness take the helm, the “war” to defend Malaysia’s footballing reputation will remain a farce.

The generals will march again, but still empty-handed, still firing blanks - and this time, the battlefield will be trust itself. - Mkini

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R NADESWARAN started his journalistic career as a sports reporter more than 50 years ago and continues to be a close observer of sports and its administrators. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.