Press statement by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Malaysia
I condemn in the strongest terms, the violence which took place at the AFF-Suzuki Cup semi-final fixture between Malaysia and Vietnam at the Shah Alam Stadium last night. Although only a small segment of Malaysian fans turned unruly, their violent conduct directed at visiting Vietnamese fans was completely unacceptable and has tarnished Malaysia’s reputation.
This is clearly not the Malaysian way. Violence is not and was never part our culture. The vast majority of Malaysian fans were respectful, courteous and hospitable last night, and I am saddened that the football match was marred by the actions of a small number of hooligans
I would like to apologise to the Vietnamese fans for the behaviour of these unruly fans, whose actions have been condemned by many Malaysians.
I have spoken to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police and have asked the police for cooperation in expediting the investigations. Given that the photos of the assailants have been widely circulated on social media, I hope that the police will swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
I also called the Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia, His Excellency Pham Cao Phong, and I reiterated my apologies to the Vietnamese fans for what transpired last night. I assured him that the police will be proactive and swift in their investigations.
At the same time, I requested from the Ambassador safe passage for our fans who will be travelling to Hanoi for the second leg of the Malaysia-Vietnam match on Dec 11. He assured me that the safety of Malaysian fans travelling to Hanoi will be looked after by Vietnamese authorities.
In light of this incident, I urge Malaysian fans travelling to Hanoi to take all necessary safety precautions. While we appreciate the safety assurance given by the Ambassador, tensions are still running high. I hope that all Malaysian travellers will be not only be careful, but more importantly, be responsible and respectful.
Sports is meant to unify and bring people together. Likewise for the AFF-Suzuki Cup, it is meant to unite the Southeast Asian community in the spirit of friendly competition. Not only am I disheartened by the mindless acts of violence last night, I am deeply disappointed that we failed to show the Southeast Asian community that we can lead by example through our sportsmanship on and off the field.
8 December, 2014
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