Malaysian police have identified the suspect behind the illegal naturalization of seven players.

Malaysian police have identified two suspects involved in the falsification of documents for seven naturalized footballers, leading to a serious controversy in Malaysian football.

Royal Malaysia Police have confirmed that they have identified two individuals suspected of forging papers for seven naturalized players representing the Malaysian national team.

According to reporter Mohd Redzuan Abdul Manap from Media Prima, the investigative team at Bukit Aman stated that the identities of these two suspects are under close watch by authorities. Verification of their true backgrounds and tracking their whereabouts are currently being expedited.

Information released on social media platform X stated: “Police have identified two individuals suspected of directly engaging in the forgery of documents for seven naturalized players affiliated with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). The investigation is being led by Bukit Aman.”

The PDRM investigation began after authorities received a total of 45 reports, including an official complaint filed by FAM. These reports concern suspicions of nationality and personal document fraud involving the group of players.

According to Malaysian police, the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which covers fraud and document forgery. If convicted, the suspects could face a minimum of one year and up to ten years imprisonment, along with fines and caning as prescribed by Malaysian law.

Earlier, FAM proactively filed a police report following a recommendation from the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) that law enforcement should intervene. This proposal was clearly stated in the official IIC report submitted to FAM, aiming to clarify the entire verification process of players with Malaysian heritage.

The case has drawn significant public attention amid Malaysia’s football community, which has placed high hopes on naturalized players to boost the national team’s competitiveness recently.