Super League (MSL) sides Kelantan and T-Team were among four Malaysian teams slapped with a six-point deduction for failing to register their players on time for the 2017 season.
Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP), the country's football administrators, meted out the same punishment to Armed Forces (ATM) and Perlis, who play in the second-tier Premier League.
"There was a first letter sent on Jan. 27, along with a phone call from FMLLP, as a reminder to them," read a statement from FMLLP.
"A second letter and call was then conveyed to these teams to register through a football information management system before March 31." The 2017 domestic season began in January.
The sanctions bumped Kelantan from fifth to seventh and T-Team from seventh to eighth.
Kedudukan terkini #LigaSuper2017 & #100PLUSLigaPremier2017 setelah pemotongan mata dilaksanakan. pic.twitter.com/1cwqWhMi7N
- Football Malaysia (@footballmasllp) May 2, 2017
The points' deduction, however, will not affect their participation in the Malaysia Cup, which is scheduled to begin in July.
FMLLP rules state that teams must upload relevant documents for a valid and comprehensive registration.
This includes salaries slips, employers provident fund slips and income tax filings.
If these four sides fail to complete the registration process before May 15, they will also be banned from buying any players in the second transfer window, which begins later this month.
FMLLP also warned that relegation to a lower division will also be enforced if the teams fail to do the necessary by Oct. 31.
In 2015, Pahang were docked six points for failing to compensate their former player Mohamed Borji after terminating his contract.
As a result, the Elephants lost second spot and their berth at the 2016 AFC Cup, and were replaced by Selangor.
Kelantan could also be in hot water for their failure to settle past wages with their former import player Jon McKain, who has taken his case to FIFA.
Despite this debt from 2016, the Red Warriors unveiled a new import player from Gambia and a Uruguayan technical director at a media conference in Kota Bharu on Sunday.