KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA Oct 7, 2025– The Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) today called on the government to conduct an independent investigation into the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) failure to verify birth documents of heritage players, following an official FIFA report that revealed significant discrepancies in the certificates.
According to ABIM’s media statement, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s report (FDD-24394) indicates that the documents submitted by FAM to FIFA differ from the original birth certificates obtained directly from authorities in countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, and Argentina. More alarmingly, the National Registration Department’s (JPN) admission, submitted by FAM to FIFA, confirms that the certificates were issued based on secondary information and invalid copies, without original physical records.
ABIM views this issue not merely as a technical error, but as one that touches on the integrity of the nation’s administrative system and Malaysia’s legal sovereignty. “When an international body like FIFA has to verify the authenticity of Malaysian citizens’ birth documents, it shows that confidence in our system’s integrity has been undermined,” the statement emphasized.
The organization also questioned how FAM could submit unverified documents to FIFA without proper review in collaboration with JPN, the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN), and Wisma Putra. This failure not only embarrasses FAM but also tarnishes Malaysia’s reputation internationally, including its heritage player policy and citizenship applications by Malaysians abroad.
ABIM stressed that this weakness contradicts the spirit of Malaysia MADANI, which emphasizes trust, integrity, and responsibility. It could lead to Malaysia being perceived as a country that easily manipulates official documents for short-term gains.
In a call to action, ABIM urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports and KDN to launch an independent internal investigation to identify those responsible, alongside a comprehensive audit of all registered heritage players’ documents. Official collaboration between FAM, JPN, and Wisma Putra must also be established to ensure transparency in future sports-related document verification processes.
“This issue is not just about football, but about the nation’s dignity. Malaysia cannot be seen as a country lax on transparency and the validity of official documents,” the ABIM statement added. “Full accountability must be enforced, not just through apologies but through tangible corrective actions.”
Ahmad Fawwaz Ahmad Shukri, ABIM Vice President, asserted: “In a world that values honesty more than victories, the courage to uphold the truth is Malaysia’s true win.”