KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) will take the next steps once the official result of the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) appeal over the eligibility of its seven heritage players is announced by the world governing body, Fifa, tomorrow.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the ministry will collaborate with the national governing body and the Sports Commissioner to identify measures that need to be implemented to improve the country’s football governance and structure.
“As I have said before, let’s wait for the decision first. Then, we can act. We must remember that the national team is not just about these seven heritage players, but we have many other footballers who rely on good leadership and administration for the sport to continue to grow.
“This is also for the sake of the career of athletes like Faisal (Halim), Arif Aiman (Hanapi), whose stars are still shining bright. If we give up, what will be their fate? It’s not fair for them,” she said after a working visit to survey the upgrading works being carried out at the Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz Sports Complex for the development of the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Academy in Kampung Baru here today.
Fifa had earlier fined FAM CHF350,000 (about RM1.8 million) and suspended the seven players for 12 months from all football-related activities after finding irregularities in the players’ original registration documents.
According to an official Fifa report titled Notification of the Grounds of the Decision dated October 6, 2025, the punishment was imposed following the violation of Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code (FDC) related to document falsification. — Bernama
