PETALING JAYA: The National Registration Department (NRD) had affirmed that all due legal procedures were followed in granting citizenship certificates to the seven mixed heritage players for the Malaysia national football team.

In a witness statement dated Sept 19, which was made public by Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the department’s director-general, Badrul Hisham Aliass said the NRD had verified the applicants’ lineage through documentation from Malaysia as well as foreign records from Argentina, Brazil and Spain.

"Although the original handwritten birth records could not be retrieved from historical archives, official copies were issued based on verified evidence," he said in the statement.

Badrul added that the applicants had also met the necessary conditions under Article 19 of the Federal Constitution, including residency, proficiency in the Malay language, and good conduct, before being granted citizenship.

He emphasised that the process was conducted in full compliance with Malaysian law and constitutional requirements.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee on Friday (Sept 26) imposed severe sanctions on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the seven players for violating Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which deals with forgery and falsification.

FIFA found that FAM had submitted falsified documents during the eligibility process, allowing the following players to participate in Malaysia’s Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam on June 10, 2025: Gabriel Palermo, Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Figueiredo, Irazábal, and Hevel.