GEORGE TOWN, March 2 — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the police must meet and find ways to improve security at stadiums when the national team is involved in a match, especially against foreign teams.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said beefing up security at stadiums was important to ensure prohibited items like flare, smoke bombs or firecrackers are not brought into the stadium and thrown onto the pitch by fans.
“We must always remember the security aspects because all this while we have been lenient with fans who set off flares, smoke bombs and firecrackers but what happened last night was serious and stern action must be taken” he said here today when commenting on flares let off by Malaysian fans calling themselves ‘Ultras Malaya’ during a friendly match between Malaysia and the Philippines at the Selayang Stadium, yesterday.
Due to the flares, thick smoke engulfed the pitch, forcing the match to be stopped for 31 minutes, thus affecting the rhythm of the match and the Malaysian side coached by Datuk Ong Kim Swee which eventually drew the match after a goalless encounter.
It is believed that the ‘Ultras Malaya’ fans had let off the flares to register their protest against the 30-year reign of Pahang Sultan, Sultan Ahmad Shah, as the FAM president.
Khairy also urged the police to submit a report to the FAM over the incident since the match was affected.
“If letting off flares or fireworks can affect the match, it cannot be accepted or condoned. This is a serious breach of security,” he said.
Khairy had earlier launched the ‘Wheel’s For All’ a programme organised by Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar (MPP), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to Universiti Songkla, Thailand.
“The programme which involves a convoy of 30 bicycles by USM students to the Songkla Universiti in Thailand from May 1 to 3, 2014. — Bernama
