Malaysia demands evidence of fixing

KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysian football authorities have called on former Fifa official Chris Eaton to provide evidence after he claimed the country had become the hub for match-fixing in South-east Asia.

The independent industry consultant and Fifa's former security chief said on Monday that Malaysia had overtaken Singapore in match-fixing following a crackdown in the Republic.

He was speaking at a sports betting forum in Singapore.

"We urge Eaton to furnish us with evidence," said Football Association of Malaysia secretary- general Hamidin Amin.

He also said the Australian should be "more professional" by providing evidence and information to the authorities in Malaysia, adding that Eaton had made similar allegations before without substantiation.

Malaysia's top police officer Khalid Abu Bakar said on Tuesday that the authorities had received no information relating to Eaton's allegation, either from Fifa or the Asian Football Confederation.

Malaysian football, however, has been plagued by match-fixing over the years, and betting syndicates from the country have also been active overseas.

A 1994 scandal in Malaysia saw 21 players and coaches sacked and 58 players suspended.

In 1999, four men linked to a Malaysia-based betting syndicate were jailed for three years for plotting to sabotage floodlights ahead of Charlton's match against Liverpool in the English Premier League that year as part of a match-fixing plot.

In 2012, FAM suspended 18 youth players and banned a coach for life for match-fixing.

The following year, a Malaysian club suspended all its coaches and officials after a string of suspiciously heavy defeats.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 10, 2016, with the headline Malaysia demands evidence of fixing. Subscribe