By Hadi Azmi

Copyright scmp

The world football governing body Fifa has ignited public outrage in Malaysia after imposing a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (US$440,000) and a one-year ban on seven footballers for the alleged falsification of nationality documents, with pundits fuelling speculation of the involvement of regional rivals in making the complaint.
The sanctions were levied against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) last Friday after Fifa claimed the association submitted doctored documents to field seven heritage players in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam in June. Under Fifa rules, heritage players are allowed to represent a country through ancestral ties.
The seven players involved – who hail from Brazil, Argentina and Spain – are Gabriel Arrocha, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal, and Hector Hevel.
Former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin expressed disbelief over the decision on Saturday, noting that Fifa had previously approved the eligibility of all seven players.
“Strange. Fifa had already approved their eligibility through the proper process,” Khairy said on Saturday. “That means the documents were vetted, and due diligence was done.” He questioned why the decision had been reversed and who lodged the complaint against Malaysia.

While the Malaysian National Registration Department insisted all legal procedures were followed in granting citizenship, it conceded that “the original handwritten birth records could not be retrieved from historical archives”, a fact some argue provided a basis for Fifa’s ruling.
While acknowledging a “technical error” in the documentation process, FAM insisted the sanctioned heritage players were “legitimate Malaysian citizens,” its president Noor Azman Rahman said on Sunday.
The controversy has also fuelled speculation of foreign interference.
Tunku Ismail Idris, regent of the Malaysian state of Johor and a prominent football club owner, hinted that a rival was involved and questioned the process in a social media post on Saturday. “Are there any external entities involved in influencing Fifa’s decision?” he asked, adding that “the punishment was imposed without giving reasons for the decision.”
Online, many Malaysian fans have directly accused neighbouring Indonesia and Vietnam of being behind the complaint.
The suspicion deepened after fans noted a Vietnamese representative on Fifa’s disciplinary committee, prompting one Indonesian social media user to slam Malaysia for allegedly making “enemies in three countries, including your own”.

The speculation was further fuelled after Ismail alluded to a meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Fifa President Gianni Infantino last week, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The incident also drew criticism from those who argue the FAM is attempting a “short cut” to national team development by relying on the heritage player provision, rather than improving local talent.
Ismail has been at the forefront of football development in Malaysia, and has championed the search for heritage players to play for the country. Three of the seven sanctioned players are signed to his club, Johor Darul Ta’zim FC.
While football is popular in Malaysia, the national team currently ranks 123rd in the Fifa world rankings, a long way from its peak of 75th spot in 1993.