TMJ dares critics to sue over player eligibility row

Johor regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has challenged his critics to take legal action if they believe there is evidence of wrongdoing over the controversial eligibility of several players linked to Malaysia’s naturalisation saga. — Social media pic, March 6, 2026


TMJ dares critics to sue over player eligibility row


Johor regent responds to online accusations tied to Malaysia’s naturalised player controversy following the recent CAS ruling


Scoop Reporters
Updated 7 hours ago
6 March, 2026
9:55 AM MYT



KUALA LUMPUR — Johor regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has challenged his critics to take legal action if they believe there is evidence of wrongdoing over the controversial eligibility of several players linked to Malaysia’s naturalisation saga.

Responding to a social media post accusing him of being responsible for alleged falsification in the case, the Johor prince dismissed the criticism and urged detractors to pursue the matter in court.

“Agreed! I have a better suggestion. Take me to court with whatever evidence. Please,” he wrote on X.

The remark was in response to a user who alleged that he should be held accountable for the controversy involving claims of falsified heritage documents tied to certain players.

The issue resurfaced after the Court of Arbitration for Sport recently ruled to ease sanctions imposed on seven naturalised Malaysian players. While the players remain suspended for 12 months from official matches, the court allowed them to continue participating in non-competitive football activities.

The ruling followed an earlier decision by FIFA, which found that falsified documentation had been submitted in relation to the players’ eligibility to represent Malaysia. The global governing body also imposed a fine of about RM1.8 million on the Football Association of Malaysia.

The controversy has continued to fuel debate among fans and commentators over the naturalisation process and the integrity of documentation used to establish Malaysian ancestry for foreign-born players. — March 6, 2026

Naturalised players row: FAM calls CAS ruling “disappointing and unfair”

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has expressed disappointment over the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling on appeals involving seven naturalised players for the national team, describing the outcome as “disappointing and unfair.” — Scoop file pic, March 6, 2026


Naturalised players row: FAM calls CAS ruling “disappointing and unfair”


Football body says sanctions appear disproportionate compared with similar cases, will review detailed grounds


Scoop Reporters
Updated 10 hours ago
6 March, 2026
1:23 PM MYT



KUALA LUMPUR — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has expressed disappointment over the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling on appeals involving seven naturalised players for the national team, describing the outcome as “disappointing and unfair.”

In a statement, FAM said that while it respects CAS’s authority, the sanctions appear disproportionate compared with similar cases.

“The players had no involvement in administrative matters and acted in good faith. We are disappointed that their suspension remains in effect despite partial relief.

“Throughout the proceedings, FAM has accepted responsibility for lapses in oversight. Investigations by Malaysian authorities and FIFA are still ongoing. FAM will continue to provide full cooperation to all relevant authorities,” the statement said.

CAS dismissed FAM’s appeal in full, upholding the 350,000 Swiss Franc (approximately RM1.8 million) fine imposed earlier by FIFA. The players’ appeals were partially upheld, reducing their 12-month suspension to official competitive matches only, rather than all football-related activities.

The full reasoning behind the decision has yet to be released, and FAM said it will review the detailed grounds before making further comments.

The association reiterated that the players were not involved in management or documentation matters. “These are Malaysian citizens who acted in good faith and had no knowledge of administrative oversights,” FAM added.

The ruling remains a setback for the national team, with the players barred from official matches for another eight months. FAM also thanked supporters for their continued backing, saying “the national team remains focused on its objectives and will continue to work hard for Malaysian football.” — March 6, 2026

***

Most Malaysians would be embarrassed by the thick-skin-ness of the FAM in criticizing the CAS' decision as "unfair' and still describing the 'heritage' players as 'Malaysian citizens. Yes, it has assumed the brazenness of Trump. If those 'heritage' players are Malaysians then we must be Waziri of the Tarzan books.

Waziri and Tarzan

US submarine sinks Iranian warship as conflict spreads beyond Middle East

Frigate goes down off Sri Lanka as Washington and Israel step up their offensive and promise to hit ‘deeper’ targets in Iran

•  

  Middle East crisis – live updates

Andrew Roth and Cate Brown in Washington, Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi and Aanya Wipulasena in Colombo

Thu 5 Mar 2026 06.50 AEDT

Prefer the Guardian on Google

A torpedo fired by a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the south coast of Sri Lanka as the Trump administration followed through on its threats to destroy Tehran’s military and political leadership.

At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack on the Iris Dena. The frigate was sailing in international waters as it returned from a naval exercise organised by India in the Bay of Bengal. The torpedo strike prompted questions from former US officials about whether Washington’s aim of eliminating all of Iran’s military breached international law.

The incident came as the US-Israeli air assault on Iran continued for a fifth day, with Washington officials warning that strikes would soon hit targets “deeper” in Iran. US forces also targeted pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it would continue missile and drone strikes on targets throughout the Middle East.

Pete Hegseth, the ex-Fox News host now leading the Pentagon as defence secretary, confirmed that the US sank the Iris Dena as it sailed close to the Sri Lankan coast. The Pentagon released black-and-white footage of a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo striking the frigate, sending a geyser of seawater into the air.

“An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. He said the attack was carried out late on Tuesday night.

“It was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death – the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II,” added Hegseth. “Like in that war, back when we were still the war department, we are fighting to win.”

It is in fact one of only a few instances of a submarine sinking a ship since the second world war, and a rare example of an attack on a foreign warship not taking part in open hostilities.

According to Sri Lanka’s foreign affairs minister, Vijitha Herath, coastguards received a distress call from the Iris Dena at 5.08am on Wednesday. Crew members described the incident as an explosion.

“By 6am we dispatched a naval vessel and by 7am the second naval vessel,” Herath said. He said Sri Lanka had an obligation to respond to the call for help because it was a signatory to the international convention on maritime search and rescue.

Sri Lankan officials said they had saved 32 people from the ship, which was believed to be carrying 180 crew. Emergency responders retrieved 87 bodies from the water. Navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath said rescue boats arrived at the site of the attack to find that the Iranian frigate had already sunk, leaving just an oil slick.

The frigate was outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but still within its economic zone, 44 nautical miles (81km) off Galle.

Trump administration waging illegal war on Iran, experts say

Read more

There were signs on Wednesday that the war was continuing to expand throughout the region. Turkey said that Nato air defences had intercepted an Iranian missile headed toward its airspace, presumably to strike Nato forces at the Incirlik airbase. Turkish officials condemned the attack, while calling on all sides for de-escalation.

The conflict paralysed shipping through the strait of Hormuz for a fifth day, choking off vital Middle East oil and gas flows, while the UN said at least 100,000 people had fled Tehran in the first two days of the war.

The Israeli military said it had hit buildings belonging to the Basij, the volunteer police arm of the IRGC, and buildings belonging to internal security forces. Israeli forces also advanced into towns and villages in south Lebanon as hostilities with the Iran-backed Hezbollah escalated.

Hegseth had previously boasted that the US operation in Iran was not following any “stupid rules of engagement”.

Wes Bryant, a former US air force special operations targeting expert and former chief of civilian harm assessments at the Pentagon, said the attack on the Iris Dena was illegal.

The ship was transiting home after participating in training exercises hosted by the Indian navy at the time of the strike. India had convened naval assets from 74 countries for a March exercise.

“Was that warship actively posing a threat or participating in hostilities?” asked Bryant. “You cannot say that this warship was an imminent threat to anyone. By targeting it, is the Trump administration saying that the imminent threat is all of Iran’s government and military? If so, that’s an incredibly dangerous example of military overreach.”

The Iris Dena was the newest frigate in the Iranian navy and equipped with surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, cannon, machine guns and torpedo launchers.

Sampath said rescue efforts were continuing and the main focus of the operation was to “help survivors”.

A senior Sri Lankan official told the Guardian the Iranian embassy in Colombo had indicated through back channels that they believed their ship had been targeted by a US strike.

The official said the Iranians claimed that the ship’s defence and counterattack capabilities were disabled by electromagnetic means.

Another Sri Lankan defence source said it appeared that the vessel had been hit by two torpedoes.

The main US naval base in the Indian Ocean is Diego Garcia, located in the Chagos archipelago, more than 1,000 miles (1,600km) from Sri Lanka.