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YESTERDAY's press conference by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) ended with more unanswered questions rather than setting the record straight, with many avid football fans claiming Noor Azman Rahman was a mere scapegoat.
The presser chaired by FAM deputy president S Sivasundaram was expected to shed light on the ongoing controversy involving the seven heritage players, but ended up becoming a tense affair with reporters pushing for answers.
Sivasundaram was insistent that the players were legitimate heritage sign-ups - but ironically was unable to confirm when their documents were processed.
He also ended up with his foot in his mouth when asked about their family ties.
The best reply journos got from him was that the applications were submitted in January 2025 and their documentation issued four months later in May.
He also pushed the buck to the Home Ministry when asked how the citizenship process was done in less than six months.
Instead of clarifying how their citizenship was granted and how cross-checks were done, the FAM merely decided to throw its secretary-general under the bus,
All Sivasundaram could reply was "be patient" - with no dates, verification documents provided, he merely opened a bigger can of worms than the existing one.
“We are confident that these seven players have Malaysian heritage. The documents we possess indicate clear ancestral links, and we are cooperating fully with the authorities to ensure the truth is established,” was his best answer.
Pushed further, he became defensive and tried to hide behind the formation of the independent committee to allegedly investigate the whole fiasco.
How were the players identified?
FAM had earlier said the selection process began after recommendations from agents and coaches but failed to specify which agent or official had verified the players’ documents.
This was another issue left hanging and the best reply from Sivasundaram was that the matter was now under investigation.
Asked if the complainant who triggered this whole incident was from Vietnam, Sivasundaram replied: “believed to be.”
Each time he gave his one-liners or tried to duck the questions, he further wedged the impression that FAM was trying to sweep something big under the carpet and refused to admit the truth.
He also dodged numerous other questions by saying that answering them could jeopardise ongoing investigations and their appeal process.
Last month, FAM and seven naturalised players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel – were penalised by Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee after allegedly being found guilty of violating Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code (FDC) related to document falsification.
In a statement, Fifa alleged that the FAM had submitted falsified documents to confirm the eligibility of the players, allowing them to compete in the third-round match of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10.
As a result, FAM was fined CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (about RM10,560) and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities, effective from the date of notification of the decision.
In a previous statement, FAM explained that it had identified a technical error in the submission process involving the seven players’ documents, which was made by an administrative staff member.
FAM had also stated that it did not rule out the possibility of taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the appeal at the Fifa level fails to yield a positive outcome.
This whole debacle has left a bitter taste, not only in the mouths of football fans, but for Malaysians across the board.
Statelessness remains a big issue in several states, while some Malaysians have waited for years to obtain identification documents, while this process was settled in less than six months.
When the FAM presser was called, journos were expecting documented proof and were hoping it would clear the air and restore the nation's confidence in Harimau Malaya.
Sadly, it ended up being one big 'wayang kulit' with the main actor working hard to dodge bullets.
It is time for accountability and transparency. The people need to know the truth - even if it hurts. - October 18, 2025