KUALA LUMPUR: A standard operating procedure (SOP) has been drawn up to ensure the safety of Malaysian athletes participating in the Asian Games scheduled for Aug 18 to Sept 2 in Indonesia, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.
Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the SOP was prepared following meetings that the ministry had had with the National Sports Council and the Royal Malaysia Police.
Malaysia is sending 426 athletes to compete in 35 sports, as well as 190 officials, to the biggest sports meet of Asia that will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, Sumatra.
Syed Saddiq said a one-stop centre would be set up at the venue of the games in collaboration with the security coordinating officer provided by the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta and there would be close cooperation with the contingent secretariat on safety.
“The ministry stand in addressing possible fan provocations that can tarnish the image of the country in the context of sports is based on the international sporting procedures and rules. In any existing international sports rules, the procedures are entrusted to the organisers in the aspect of provocations,” he said.
Syed Saddiq elaborated on the safety of the Malaysian athletes at the upcoming Asian Games when replying to a supplementary question, from Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar), who had wanted to know the latest development with regard to a protest made by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).
The FAM had sent an official protest note to the AFF over the Indonesian fans’ insult of the Malaysian team at the AFF under-16 tournament in Surabaya, Indonesia, on July 30.
The minister said the AFF was still investigating the official protest.
“The decision will be conveyed to FAM and it will be channelled to the ministry. Usually, the associations themselves have to send the protests. The ministry has suggested that FAM put in an official protest,” he said during the Ministers’ Question Time in the House.
During the first game for the Malaysian team on July 30 against Thailand, which it eventually lost 1-2, a group of Indonesian fans hurled insults at the Malaysian players.
Several weeks earlier, Indonesian fans verbally abused and hurled objects at a Malaysian under-19 side which had beaten Indonesia in a semi-final of the AFF under-19 Cup in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. – Bernama