KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has called on four Super League clubs to settle their outstanding wage issues before voicing concerns over the standard of local refereeing.
The statement comes in response to four written complaints received by FAM regarding the perceived inefficiency of referees officiating M-League matches. The clubs even suggested introducing foreign referees into the Malaysian football ecosystem.
It is understood that the complaints were lodged by Kedah FC, Sri Pahang FC, Kuala Lumpur City FC, and Perak FC—all of which have been reported for failing to pay their players on time.
An FAM executive committee member, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Scoop that while the governing body is open to working with foreign referees, questions remain about whether the clubs can afford the costs involved.
“We are a reputable association and always welcome collaboration with foreign expertise, as it benefits both local referees and the overall development of the game. Our referees are already doing a good job, but learning from foreign officials would be a win-win situation.
“However, are these clubs prepared to bear the cost of hiring foreign referees? It costs more than four times what we pay our local referees.
“While we are open to the idea, FAM will not cover the expenses, as this was not something we initiated in the first place.
“It’s absurd for these clubs to complain. They should focus on settling their debts and paying their players before criticising our referees,” the source said.
Despite this, the FAM official stressed that the association is committed to improving refereeing standards.
“We take this feedback constructively and are not treating it as a conflict. We recognise that much of the dissatisfaction arises from VAR (video assistant referee) decisions or instances where referees fail to consult VAR before making calls.
“To address this, we will send our referees for additional training to enhance their understanding and use of the system.”
So far this season, local referees appointed by FAM have officiated 161 matches across all Malaysian Football League (MFL) competitions.
Among the top referees produced by FAM are Nazmi Nasaruddin and his assistants, Zairul Khalil Tan and Mua’zi Zainai Abidin, who have officiated prestigious tournaments such as the AFC Asian Cup and AFC Elite Champions League.
It has also been reported that Nazmi is among the candidates for the 2026 FIFA World Cup referee list.
For the record, no domestic football league in the world has a history of using foreign referees for regular league matches. — February 1, 2025