Indonesian Sports Minister Apologizes to Malaysia
Indonesian Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi apologized to the Malaysian government for the fight caused by fans on September 5.
"On behalf of the government and people of Indonesia, I would like to apologize for the inappropriate behavior of our fans during the match last night," Nahrawi told his Malaysian counterpart Syed Saddiq on September 6.
The Indonesian Sports Minister also confirmed that the government and the football federation will impose penalties on fans who committed violent acts against Malaysian supporters at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, on September 5.
Syed Saddiq applauded his counterpart Imam Nahrawi's efforts to ease tensions, while affirming that Indonesia and Malaysia have always maintained harmonious relations despite the unfortunate incident.
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Malaysian Sports Minister Syed Saddiq (left) received an apology letter from his Indonesian counterpart Imam Nahrawi (right) on September 6. Photo:Bernama. |
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed on Facebook today that they met with representatives of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), as part of efforts to raise the matter with the International Football Federation (FIFA). A day earlier, Stuart Ramalingam, secretary general of FAM, said the federation was gathering evidence on the matter.
Ramalingam said gangster behavior has no place in football and FAM is disappointed with the actions of Indonesian fans. He also said the Indonesian Football Association did not foresee the trouble and therefore failed to keep its promise to Malaysia.
"The incident showed that the host failed to fulfill their overall promise for the match and also failed to control the behavior of fans before, during and after the match, to the extent of damaging the image of the Indonesian team. The players of both countries showed fair and professional play but the match was ruined by incidents off the field," Ramalingam added.
Indonesian fans rushed into the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on the evening of September 5 and attacked Malaysian fans. The group also threw strange objects and flares into the area where the visiting team's fans were.
Malaysian fans, including Minister Syed Saddiq, had to stay at the stadium for two hours for safety while the country's players had to leave the field in armored vehicles.
