KUALA LUMPUR – Kuala Lumpur police have clarified that fans may have brought in water bottles and ice cubes by purchasing them inside Bukit Jalil National Stadium during last week’s FA Cup match.
Police’s response came after incidents where fans were seen throwing bottles and ice cubes onto the pitch during the intense match between Selangor FC and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), which attracted a total of 80,350 fans on August 24.
Images also surfaced showing the police escorting several fans out of the stadium for causing provocations.
The match ended in a 6-1 victory for JDT, marking their third consecutive FA Cup title.
Speaking to Scoop, Cheras police chief Ravindar Singh Sarban Singh said it remains unclear who threw the prohibited items.
However, he insisted that Kuala Lumpur police did their best to prevent any major incidents, such as fights, from breaking out.
On August 21, KL police released a list of prohibited items for the match – including firecrackers, helmets, laser pens, sharp objects like metal and wood, and weapons such as parang (machetes) and kerambit (traditional curved daggers).
Other banned items included drugs, umbrellas, alcoholic beverages, power banks, bottled water, ice cubes, lighters, matches, and all types of cigarettes, including e-cigarettes and vapes.
Additionally, drones, megaphones, whistles, and drums were prohibited unless prior approval was obtained from the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
“I’m not sure how a few fans managed to get water bottles and ice cubes into the stadium. To be honest, we didn’t allow fans to bring in prohibited items, as we thoroughly searched everyone from top to bottom, including their bags.
“Maybe they got the water bottles and ice cubes from some of the vendors and MFL sponsors in the stadium.
“Overall, we’re happy that the game went smoothly and nothing major happened,” Ravindar said when contacted.
The KL police force for the match included units from the Federal Reserve Unit, auxiliary police, police air wing, General Operations Force, criminal investigative division, special branch, traffic enforcement investigative division, and district police headquarters from Cheras, Brickfields, Putrajaya, Sentul, Dang Wangi, and Kuala Lumpur.
Additionally, 300 police personnel were stationed at the Bukit Jalil LRT station to ensure the safety of fans travelling to the match.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on whether their sponsor’s products were sold in the stadium during the match, an MFL official, who preferred to speak on anonymity, said that none of their sponsored items, including water bottles and ice cubes, were sold.
“We totally deny this. Our sponsors did not sell any of the items. In fact, when Burger King wanted to have a booth in the stadium, we didn’t allow it.
“We fully complied with the police’s instructions and did not go against them. We don’t want to blame anyone in this situation, as the game is already over.
“It’s impossible for police to check all 80,000-plus people coming to the stadium, and maybe they allowed a few of them out of discretion, especially those who came with their families.
“Maybe they were carrying bottles and ice cubes – we never know,” said the MFL official.
JDT now equals Kedah FC and Selangor’s record as one of the most successful teams in the FA Cup, with five titles each. – August 30, 2024