The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) today denied Johor Darul Takzim football club owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim's allegations on the retirement of four national players.

The four JDT players – Safiq Rahim, Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak, Amirul Hadi Zainal and S Kunalan – announced their retirement from the national squad last week.

Tunku Ismail, who is the Johor crown prince, alleged that players sustained injuries during training with the national squad and suffer from fatigue.

He also claimed the national players' welfare is neglected, while FAM is monopolised by businessmen and tainted with graft.

Responding to this, FAM secretary-general Hamidin Mohd Amin said the association has written to the four players requesting them to submit their resignation letters.

FAM also required the players to state the reasons for their resignation.

"I also asked the national coach to plan ahead if the players retain their decision to retire.

"However, our door is still open to these players to return if they change their minds," he said in a statement read at the FAM monthly press conference in Kelana Jaya today.

Hamidin also denied that the squad's high intensity training led to injuries

He said that only four players sustained injuries during the Oceania tour to Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Fiji from June 11 to 29.

The injured players are Shahrom Abdul Kalam (Selangor), Mahali Jasuli (JDT), Abdul Latiff Suhaimi (PDRM) and Zaquan Adha Abd Radzak (JDT).

"This shows that the claim that the five JDT players sustained injuries while training with the national squad is untrue," he said.

He also rejected the prince's claim that players suffer fatigue after touring and training with the national squad.

He said that FAM schedules training according to the domestic league.

"It is completely untrue to say the association does not care for players' welfare during national training.

"This is because all needs including hotel accommodation, kit, food and transport are provided.

"Players are also provided with daily allowances and game bonuses at reasonable rates for the duration of the training," he said.

However, he did not deny the accusation that there are many businessmen in FAM.

But he said there are also politicians, civil servants and private workers selected by respective football clubs to represent them.

He added that FAM does not tolerate corruption, in order to adhere to standards set by the International Federation of Football Associations (Fifa), and the Asian Football Confederation.

He said FAM had formed an integrity committee to monitor football clubs, their administrators and FAM leadership.