The Home Minister has stood firmly behind his Director-General, insisting that no falsification of footballers’ certificates took place despite FIFA’s findings. His defence implies that the global football body may have fabricated its report, prompting calls for Malaysia to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
However, Zaid Ibrahim doubt any appeal will follow, noting that both the government and FAM rely on public trust rather than external validation. Critics have seized on the episode to highlight inconsistencies in the Home Ministry’s discretion—swift when it involves footballers, but sluggish for thousands of stateless children still awaiting recognition. The issue has reignited debates about accountability and credibility in Malaysia’s governance.
