Recently, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced that all members of its Executive Committee (exco) for the 2025–2029 term have collectively and voluntarily tendered their resignations with immediate effect.
The Acting President of FAM said the resignation is intended to protect the reputation and interests of FAM as an organisation and to uphold the principles of good governance and accountability, particularly in circumstances where public confidence must be preserved and to reduce the risk of more serious consequences that could affect Malaysian football as a whole.
Only a week ago, on 21 Jan 2026, a news report, quoting sources close to FAM told the news outlet that the ExCo is expected to tender a collective resignation as early as the week beginning 26 Jan 2026 saying the move is a calculated attempt to prevent a full takeover by a FIFA-appointed normalisation committee.
The news report quoting the sources also said by stepping down voluntarily, the current leadership is effectively hitting the reset button on their own terms, that FAM is capable of self correction.
After 5 months since the issue was revealed in Sept 2025 where there was no clarity except overlapping and answers meant to confuse the public, FAM is now talking about preserving public confidence and reduce the risk of more serious consequences?
An inconsequential answer to a damning issue by FAM offering a trivial, irrelevant and dismissive response in an attempt to deflect from the serious, damaging and unethical matter undertaken under their nose – forging of documents.
Integrity of FAM?
Every criminal act that entails criminal responsibility starts from the act and its result.
The falsification of documents speaks to the integrity of the entire Exco of FAM.
In handling this case, the Exco had failed to convey a message to the public that rules are enforced without exception, regardless of whoever is involved in the forgery.
Appointing an Independent Committee to investigate was merely a smoke screen undertaken to inform the puclic that the Exco is not making any exceptions.
Why bother?
For the last 5 months, the public is totally convinced that the Exco is in the know and are aware of the forgery of documents.
While the resignation now is expected, it arrived too late to show that the Exco has taken responsibility for it.
Did the Exco violated their duty of care and acted in the best interests for football in Malaysia?
By dragging out and delay what was expected from them 5 months ago, the Exco have abdicated from their moral responsibility and further damaged the country’s image in the eyes of the world.
For the Exco now that they have tendered their resignations, they might wish to retain personal copies of records relating to the issue to protect themselves from future liability.
Resignation does not automatically remove legal or civil liability moreover when forgery involves criminal penalties, imprisonment and fines, if done to deceive.
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