Malaysian minister defends footballer citizenship amid fraud claims

Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has defended the government’s decision to grant citizenship to foreign footballers, despite findings of falsified documents and irregularities in the naturalisation process.Saifuddin stated that applicants were taught basic Malay before interviews and that time spent abroad could be counted towards residency requirements for citizenship. However, the international football federation FIFA found that falsified documents were used in the naturalisation and eligibility process, while the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), a federal statutory body in Malaysia that investigates complaints against enforcement agencies, uncovered irregularities in citizenship approvals.FIFA has fined the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) 350,000 Swiss francs (approximately 1.8 million Ringgit) and suspended seven players for 12 months. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the finding of falsification, restricting the players’ suspensions to official matches but retaining the fine against FAM.The EAIC, in its findings on July 10, 2026, noted that officials considered special approvals within an extremely short period and in an irregular manner. It also flagged problems with entry permits, security screening, Malay language assessments, and checks on the players’ renunciation of their original citizenship. The commission urged the home ministry and the National Registration Department (NRD), a department under Malaysia’s Home Ministry responsible for registering vital events and determining citizenship, to review the applications and supporting documents. It also called for clearer guidelines on ministerial discretion and procedures for future cases.The controversy began after Malaysia’s national football team dropped to 178th in FIFA rankings in 2018. The FAM then started scouting “heritage players” or foreign-born players to change citizenship to play for the national team. From 2018 to October 2025, 23 foreign-born footballers were granted Malaysian citizenship. In January 2025, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor, announced that six to seven “heritage players” had been identified for inclusion in the national football team.In September 2025, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee fined the FAM and suspended seven foreign-born players from Malaysia’s national football team for 12 months. FIFA found that the documents submitted for the players’ eligibility were falsified. On October 11, 2025, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail informed parliament that 23 foreign footballers had received citizenship since 2018, with 6,000 applications pending out of 49,000 total applications.The EAIC has urged the Home Ministry and the NRD to review the applications and supporting documents. It has also called for clearer guidelines on ministerial discretion and procedures for future cases. EAIC Chairman Ismail Bakar stated on May 25, 2026, that it might take time for enforcement agencies to implement their recommendations as it involves staffing and allocation matters.The Malaysian government has not yet clarified how officials will be held accountable for irregularities in citizenship approvals. It is also unclear when and how the guidelines recommended by the EAIC will be implemented. The final citizenship status of the seven foreign footballers remains unknown.Nepal has a significant presence in Malaysia, with approximately 500,000 Nepalis reported to be residing there in 2019. In 2020, over 382,000 documented Nepali workers were in Malaysia, mostly in the manufacturing sector. In the last fiscal year, 259,594 out of 771,327 Nepali citizens who obtained labor permits for foreign employment went to Malaysia. The Nepali Embassy in Malaysia stated on January 9, 2023, that it was working to resolve issues faced by stranded Nepali workers in Malaysia.