HANNAH CALLS FOR END TO HOOLIGAN CULTURE IN FOOTBALL

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- A small group of football fans who attend matches with the intention of causing trouble must change their behaviour, said Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.

Commenting on the commotion before the kick-off of the Malaysia Cup final yesterday, she expressed concern that such incidents could deter other supporters, particularly families, from attending sporting events.

“When incidents like this happen, they tarnish the atmosphere and may make some feel unsafe about going to stadiums. The Safe Sport Code is not only meant for athletes and coaches, but also applies to supporters to ensure everyone’s safety.

“So I urge those who come just to cause chaos to change their attitude, because it is detrimental to football. What we want is positive reporting, so that whole families can enjoy sport and recreation peacefully, as a form of stress relief,” she told reporters after officiating the Closing Ceremony of the Rakan Muda Convention 2025 here today.

At the same time, she noted the encouraging trend of many supporters bringing their children to watch the final between Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Sri Pahang FC at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night.

In last night’s action, JDT defeated Sri Pahang 2-1 to clinch the 2024/2025 Malaysia Cup, creating history by winning all four major Malaysian football titles — the Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup and Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup (Charity Shield) — for the third consecutive time.

Meanwhile, Hannah also congratulated former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, who was elected as a Council Member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for the 2025-2029 term in Xiamen, China, yesterday.

 “This proves that his leadership is recognised by BWF. I wish him all the best and hope he continues to bring honour to Malaysia on the international stage, as it reflects his leadership qualities,” she said.

-- BERNAMA