KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC head coach Nidzam Jamil has condemned the football fan page Bola Tribe for making fun of Buddhism through its recent social media posts.
Speaking to Scoop, Nidzam expressed his frustration with the external matters affecting the club and emphasised his duty to ensure his team is not distracted by these issues.
Nidzam, who assumed his role in March this year, stated that the page’s provocative posts undermine the religious unity within the club, which includes several players and coaches who practise Buddhism.
“I love the club deeply, and for me, it’s all about the club, its loyal supporters, and the players. As a coach, I hate whatever is happening now outside the pitch.
“I was brought up in a football family, and I understand the feelings of the players and supporters. However, recent events, including the football fan page’s disrespectful posts about Buddhism, have crossed the line.
“We have several officials, coaches, and players such as Quentin Cheng who are Buddhists, and such postings are highly disrespectful and it’s not good for our family.
“I also have many friends who are Buddhists and from the Chinese community, and I never expected such cheap behaviour from people on social media. I hope the authorities take action against the page for their over-the-board postings,” said Nidzam when contacted.
For context, the first provocative post released by Bola Tribe featured a photo of a Buddhist temple with the word “Tokong” (meaning temple in Malay) on its facade.
Above the entrance, a large sign read “Home of Selangor FC”, accompanied by the Football Association of Malaysia and Malaysian Football League (MFL) logos altered with phallic symbols.
A monk dressed in red and yellow robes, matching the colours of Selangor FC, sat in a meditative pose at the temple’s entrance.
The page, which has been active since 2021 with a total of 10,627 followers across Facebook, X, and Instagram, also posted another provocative image using the likeness of Lord Buddha, merging it with Selangor FC’s logo and the words “The Real Tokong” (the real temple in Malay) on its facade.
Bola Tribe’s posts also caught the attention of Lembah Jaya assemblyman Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad, known as Altimet, who urged the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to investigate the posts for race, religion, and royalty (3R) issues.
Earlier, Selangor chief executive officer Johan Kamal Hamidon said that the club has lodged several police reports towards the football fan page for instigating hatred among fans.
This incident follows the recent controversy involving Selangor FC and the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
Selangor FC was penalised by the MFL for withdrawing from the 2024-2025 Super League’s Charity Shield match against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) on May 10.
The sanctions included a RM100,000 fine, a three-point deduction for the season, a ban on spectators for the upcoming Selangor-JDT match, and compensation for the losses incurred by JDT and MFL.
The controversy intensified when the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, described the punishments as excessively harsh.
In response, MFL overturned the points deduction and lifted the spectators’ ban, as well as reducing the fine by 40%. – July 2, 2024