On Monday, Fifa alleged that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had deliberately falsified documents to misrepresent the players as having Malaysian heritage, allowing them to play for the national team in an Asian Cup qualifier.
The seven players – Gabriel Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel – are from Brazil, Argentina, Spain and the Netherlands.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution gave a new version of events in parliament, saying he had exercised a legal provision to waive constitutional conditions on citizenship for the players.
“In previous cases and practices, we have given the position of citizens to applicants who are considered capable of contributing to the country, whether they are a CEO, engineer, scientist or doctor,” Saifuddin said.
He said 23 footballers had been naturalised as Malaysian citizens over the years, including the seven at the centre of the scandal.
