A seasoned academician and a hardcore Malaysian football fan are the latest to join the growing number of voices calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into the fiasco involving seven footballers who were granted Malaysian citizenship.
Responding to a question by Julang podcast co-host Rizal Hashim, Alfadi Awaludin, better known as Rambo among the Ultras Malaya, said the matter did not involve the smuggling of fuel or rice, which is rampant at the nation’s borders due to heavy government subsidies.
“If you consider the smuggling of such goods as a big deal, what more this matter involving Fifa’s sanctions on the players. Yes, this goes beyond football,” Alfadi said.
He also wondered if the footballers had given up the citizenship of their respective birth nations or were still holding two passports. Article 24 of Malaysia’s Federal Constitution clearly states that the country does not recognise dual nationality.
Academician Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli, known for his vocal views on local sports, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the case of former national player Lee Tuck, who became a naturalised Malaysian in 2022.
“Remember Lee Tuck? Isn’t he in the UK now? You’d wonder why, after getting Malaysian citizenship, he’s back in his birth nation. I feel he could be having dual citizenship,” said Pekan on Julang last night.
Pekan also suggested that an RCI be set up, stressing the need for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind the controversy.
On Sept 26, Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee said it had imposed sanctions on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano – for breaching Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code concerning forgery and falsification.
FAM had submitted eligibility enquiries to Fifa using doctored documentation to field the players for its June 10 match against Vietnam. The Malaysian football body was ordered to pay a fine of CHF350,000, while the players were each fined CHF2,000 and suspended from all football-related activities for 12 months.
On Oct 7, Fifa elaborated on its decision, revealing that none of the seven footballers registered as Malaysian players had any direct links to the country.
Fifa also noted that a statement from the director-general of the National Registration Department (NRD) in Malaysia was of particular relevance. The NRD confirmed that the Malaysian authorities had never received the players’ original birth certificates. “Instead, the NRD issued its own copies based on secondary information and foreign documents from Argentina, Brazil, and Spain. The NRD further admitted that it could not retrieve the original handwritten records and therefore issued official copies based on evidence that a birth had occurred.
“This admission, so finds the Committee, indicates that the Malaysian government’s validation process may not have been based on original documents, which calls into question the thoroughness of FAM’s verification process,” Fifa said.
The saga has also caught the attention of Members of Parliament, who have demanded that the issue be debated in the Dewan Rakyat. Politicians from both sides have voiced concern as the granting of citizenship remains a sensitive issue in Malaysia.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told the Dewan Rakyat during Minister’s Question Time today that the National Registration Department (NRD) did not falsify any documents and that the seven players had met the citizenship criteria under the Federal Constitution.
He explained that the birth certificates issued by the NRD were in accordance with the law, adding that Fifa rules specify four criteria for national team eligibility.
Saifuddin Nasution said that since 2018, 23 foreign nationals have been naturalised to play for the national team.
The news has also gained international attention following reports by foreign-based media organisations.
FAM, while admitting to a “technical error”, maintains that the seven players are Malaysians and says it will appeal Fifa’s decision.
Alfadi added that the words used by Fifa, as Julang co-host Haresh Deol mentioned earlier, were serious. “They include falsifying, forgery and doctored documentation. When such words appear, they implicate not just FAM but also government agencies, departments and ministries.
“What certain parties are trying to do now is to say it’s just a ‘technical issue’. If it’s a technical issue, then the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and other agencies don’t need to investigate. I feel that’s the drama at play.”
Watch the full episode of Julang here.
