COMMENT | Just four months ago, Malaysia’s national football team soared to a 4–0 victory over Vietnam in an Asia Cup qualifier. The prime minister publicly congratulated the team and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), basking in the national pride.

FAM, in turn, thanked Anwar Ibrahim’s administration - not only for financial rewards but for facilitating the documentation of seven players cleared to represent Malaysia.

Then came the reckoning.

The International Federation of Association Football (Fifa) ruled that the citizenship documents of those seven players had been forged, imposing fines and sanctions.

FAM responded by...