Football fans douse concern over tensions
SHAH ALAM: Despite concern that tensions between supporters at the Malaysia-Indonesia football SEA Games semi-finals would boil over, the crowds kept it to a friendly rivalry under heavy police supervision.
When I arrived at 3pm yesterday, a large crowd had already built up even though the game was set to start at 8.45pm.
Many fans were ready to support their teams, like Alliance Supporter Indonesia in Malaysia member Agus Purwanto, 30, whose group brought full-size flags, various banners and a drum set.
He told me the fan club stayed overnight at the stadium, hoping to snag tickets early yesterday, as the counters had closed early on Friday.
Hearing similar rumours that tickets would be sold at 3pm, wireman Antoro, 27, and around 30 friends came at 8am.
As the deadline neared, the crowd began chanting and demanding that the ticket booths be opened.
Their demands, however, came to nought and the ticket counters remained closed. A check on the SEA Games ticketing site showed that tickets for the match were sold out.
“Even if I don’t get a ticket, I will stay here and cheer for my team,” Antoro told me, his face painted red and white down the middle, like the Indonesian flag.
Financial consultant Syakir Zaidi, 20, complained that there were ticket-scalpers preying on those desperate to get in to watch the game.
“They are selling the tickets for between RM70 and RM100. The original ticket price was RM20! I want to support my team, but that’s too much because I’m getting tickets for me and five friends,” he said.
As part of the tight security, Indonesian fans were made to enter the stadium through gate A while Malaysian fans could go through gates B, C and D.
Earlier in the day, Selangor Police Chief Comm Datuk Mazlan Mansor warned fans not to bring sharp weapons or explosives into the stadium, or they would be arrested without warning.
Though police presence was light earlier in the day, more came later, matching the growing crowd, with many police cars, Black Marias and eight FRU trucks seen by 6pm.
However, supporters showed the spirit of good sportsmanship, mingling with each others’ groups while waiting for the gates to open.
When asked about their rivalry, the supporters said beyond sports, the two countries still shared the same roots.
“Satu rumpun, satu nusantara (One root, one archipelago)” chanted the groups of mixed supporters.
Husband and wife duo Shamsuri Aziz and Adlina Ahmad showed that even they could support different teams, each dressed in their nation’s team colours – Shamsuri in the red and white Indonesian colours and Adlina in yellow and black.
Shamsuri joked that their twoyear-old son Al Ismu Duaaun was in neutral colours as they weren’t sure which team he supported.
The festival-like atmosphere was also aided by the accommodating weather, with cloud cover and strong winds keeping supporters cool-headed over the long wait.
By evening the stadium grounds were littered with garbage, as few bins were provided. Many drivers parked their vehicles along the main roads causing heavy traffic leading to and from the stadium.
Inside the stadium, there was a carnival-like atmosphere as both sets of fans sang songs cheering on their teams.
The Malaysian crowd was led by Ultras Malaya (a fan club) members who livened up the atmosphere with their chants.
The game ended with Malaysia scoring one goal. When the Malaysian team scored, the stadium broke into deafening cheers.
Crowds gathering outside the stadium rushed into the venue excitedly, hoping to join in the festivity.
The cops on duty shut the gate fast, but a small number of fans managed to break in.
Malaysia will meet Thailand in the final on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.