KUALA LUMPUR: Sports lawyer Zhafri Aminurashid has warned that the ongoing disputes over the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) congress-cum-election process could lead to drastic action from world body, Fifa, and significant consequences for the nation's football industry.
Zhafri said affiliates who are unhappy with the FAM election process could lodge complaints with Fifa if they believe that the 2024 FAM Election Code has been violated.
"If the affected members present strong evidence and report it to the international governing body, Fifa may order an independent investigation into the FAM congress.
"In the event of serious violations, Fifa could order a re-election, suspend FAM until new elections are completed, or appoint an interim administration for FAM.
"Such actions would harm Malaysia's reputation in international football."
The warning comes amid mounting dissatisfaction among FAM's affiliates over alleged inconsistencies in the election process.
The Negri Sembilan FA and Malaysian Chinese Football Association have reportedly raised their concerns about not receiving a second nomination form, while Kuala Lumpur FA was allegedly provided with one.
"If this is proven true, it reflects procedural inconsistencies, which could be grounds to challenge the validity of the election results. Fifa could view such inconsistencies as a breach of fundamental fairness, and this must be resolved before the congress proceeds," said Zhafri.
The suspensions of Perlis FA (PFA) and Kelantan FA (Kafa) have further complicated matters. PFA was suspended for failing to comply with prior directives from Fifa and FAM, while Kafa's suspension followed alleged constitutional violations during its previous congress election process.
"PFA's repeated non-compliance gave FAM the grounds to impose a suspension.
"If FAM fails to enforce Fifa's directives, it risks being sanctioned itself. This is why it's crucial for FAM to uphold these decisions."
As for Kafa, Zhafri noted that the suspension was temporary and would be lifted once a fresh election is held, a process expected to take two months. However, he cautioned that prolonged delays could create negative perceptions of FAM's governance.
"If these disputes are not resolved transparently and fairly, it risks undermining confidence in FAM and drawing intervention from Fifa."
He added that the principles
of fairness and transparency are critical in ensuring the integrity of the election process, and called on FAM to address these grievances before the congress.
"FAM needs to act quickly to restore trust among its affiliates. A fair and transparent process is not just about avoiding sanctions from Fifa, it's about maintaining the integrity of Malaysian football."
With Fifa known to take strong action against national associations found in breach of their regulations, Zhafri's warning serves as a timely reminder of the potential consequences if the current disputes escalate further.