Malaysian football needs to work harder to ensure the integrity of
the sport, according to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),
the government agency in charge of investigating and prosecuting
dishonest practices in the game.
"Corruption involving local footballers is still prevalent in the country," said MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Azam Baki.
"We are still encountering cases involving corruption among
footballers, but it is not so easy to prosecute someone without any
concrete evidence.
"But I can tell you that bookies out there are always looking for
opportunities to get in touch with the players, and trying to get them
on the take. The present situation is not at a worrying level, and we
are trying to ensure that it does worsen."
One of the most recent high-profile corruption cases involved 22 Kuala Lumpur players, who were found guilty of match-fixing in 2013.
Five players and three officials were handed life bans, while 17 others were fined RM5,000 for their involvement.
This season, second-tier Premier League side MISC-MIFA were also investigated by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) integrity department after their coach Jacob Joseph alleged his players were "dishonest" when they lost 7-2 at home to UiTM FC on March 3.
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