SHAH ALAM, May 1 — National football supporters group Ultras Malaya has launched the first phase of a boycott of all matches involving the national team, effective immediately.
The group said the decision was a follow-up to three unfulfilled demands it made on April 13.
The demands were revoking the citizenship of seven players allegedly involved in a document falsification issue, returning the management of Harimau Malaya to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), and implementing comprehensive reforms in the national football system.
Ultras Malaya has set a deadline of August 31 for the demands to be met by the relevant parties.
“This is to ensure Malaysian football is truly free from narrow interests, governance failures and prolonged systemic damage,” the group said in a statement today.
It warned that if the demands are not met within the stipulated timeframe, a broader second phase of the boycott will be carried out.
Ultras Malaya also stressed its commitment to defending the integrity of Malaysian football from any personal interests.
“We strongly reject any use of football as a tool to satisfy the desires, influence and personal interests of any party or individual."
The group added that the boycott is not driven by hatred, but by concern for the future of national football.
For the record, FAM was previously fined CHF350,000 (RM1.8 million) by FIFA over the document falsification case involving seven players, who were each fined CHF2,000 (RM10,650) and suspended for 12 months.
The seven players involved are Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.
