FAM stressed that Fifa’s claim that the players “obtained or were aware of forged documents” was unfounded, as no solid evidence had been presented to support the allegation.

After Fifa’s Appeals Committee rejected the appeal, I wrote: “The global governing body’s core finding still stands, unexpunged and echoing in the football pitches of international sports and hallowed halls of governments:

“Using fraudulent documentation to allow a player to compete constitutes, pure and simple, a form of cheating, which cannot in any way be condoned.

“This was more than a ruling; the fact stated subjected Malaysian football and its systems of governance to global odium, ridicule, and contempt.”

Then there was FAM acting president Yusoff Mahadi declaring that it will take its challenge to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), describing it as “a major war” to defend Malaysia’s footballing reputation, adding that all resources would be used.

I asked: “But what kind of war is this, when the generals march empty-handed? The birth certificates of the players’ grandparents presented by FAM are forged. CAS will have access to the originals, and FAM will be left with egg - not honour - on their faces”

You can’t get different results by relying on the same set of documents. Naturally, FAM retreated with its tail between its legs.

If one reads the various reports from Fifa, FAM, its officials, the government and the EAIC, he or she can come to an understanding of what transpired.

So, how do we get the truth?

Anwar must act

The process must start from the very top. For a man who promised openness, Anwar has been restricted on this fiasco, preferring to exercise his oratory skills, mesmerising selected audiences - but not a word about the deceit carried out by his government officials.

He must lead the way for Saifuddin, Badrul, FAM officials and other officials to start telling the truth.

If he had not sanctioned such an act, why did FAM thank his government for “facilitating the documentation process for new heritage players”, which is a misnomer because they had no heritage - they were journeymen (read: sports mercenaries) who got paid hundreds of thousands of ringgit by our taxpayers' money to just change their nationality to represent Malaysia - albeit illegally.

But will he do it and put this behind in our country’s history? Or, because it serves no political purpose, will it be ignored and fade into oblivion?

The scandal over Malaysia’s naturalised footballers is more than a sporting misstep - it is a damning reflection of how silence, excuses, and irregularities corrode governance.

The EAIC flagged irregular approvals, the NRD knowingly processed falsified documents, and the FAM deflected blame with evasions.

Yet the loudest silence comes from the prime minister, whose government facilitated the process but has offered no accountability.

If Malaysia is serious about integrity, its leaders must confront the truth rather than bury it under political expediency. Otherwise, this episode will remain as a permanent stain on the nation’s credibility.