Malaysian media bluntly states that mistakes have cost the national team dearly.

Malaysia pays the price for the naturalization scandal as FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation impose penalties, losing the Asian Cup ticket—a costly lesson for taking shortcuts.

According to NST, Malaysia has paid a heavy price for choosing shortcuts, when the scandal involving naturalized players was suspected of falsifying documents, plunging the country's football into crisis. A clear lesson emerges: any success lacking foundation and transparency will lead to long-term consequences.

The decision from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA delivered a severe blow to Harimau Malaya's ambitions. Not only imposing fines and suspending seven players, the governing body also stripped victories against Nepal and Vietnam, causing Malaysia to lose the right to compete for the Asian Cup ticket.

The result is that from a leading position in the group with 15 points, Malaysia dropped to 9 points, while Vietnam was awarded the win and secured the advancing ticket. What was once considered impressive achievements now stands as evidence of a systemic error in team management and operation.

It is noteworthy that many opinions suggest Malaysia did not even need the violating players to win. However, opting for shortcuts has destroyed everything. The lack of scrutiny from the Malaysian Football Association has turned the national team into a prime example of poor governance.

A wave of anger from fans exploded as hundreds gathered to protest at Wisma FAM. Trust was severely damaged, while legal and administrative disputes continue to drag on, pushing Malaysian football into a "minefield" with no clear exit.

Nevertheless, the crisis could also be a turning point. If abandoning short-term achievement mentality and returning to sustainable development investment, Malaysia still has the opportunity to recover. The right path is not fast, but it is the only way to regain honor and rebuild lost trust.