In a statement, she said her ministry, through the Office of the Sports Commissioner (PJS), would work closely with the independent committee probing allegations that falsified documents were submitted to Fifa on seven naturalised footballers in the national team.
She added that the probe’s findings will serve as the foundation for corrective measures that FAM must implement.
“(But) the government must proceed cautiously as any form of interference could lead to FAM being suspended by Fifa.”
Yeoh said Malaysia must learn from other countries that had faced Fifa suspensions for government interference, including Zimbabwe (2022), Chad (2021), Indonesia (2015), Benin (2015), and Brunei (2009).
“All these examples show that Fifa is firm in upholding its Statute 15(c), which requires all football associations to remain free from any form of political or government interference,” she said.
Yeoh warned that such a suspension would not only affect the national team, but also the country’s “entire football ecosystem” as it would put a halt to the Malaysian Football League (MFL), the Amateur Football League (AFL), and the Malaysian League.
Fifa in September penalised FAM and seven naturalised Malaysian footballers after determining that falsified documents had been submitted to confirm the players’ eligibility for Malaysia’s 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam on June 10.
The world football body found that documents had been falsified to claim that each player had a grandparent born in Malaysia, although they were actually born in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands.
The players involved are Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano.
FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.8 million), while each player was fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM10,560) and banned for 12 months from all football-related activities, effective from the date of notification.
Fifa yesterday dismissed FAM’s appeal and upheld the sanctions against the national body and the seven players.