YOUTH and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called on a minority of unruly football fans to change their behaviour, warning that their disruptive actions risk damaging the wider sporting culture in Malaysia.
Her remarks follow an incident before the start of the Malaysia Cup final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday night, where a small group of supporters caused unrest ahead of kick-off.
“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,” she said.
“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,” Yeoh told reporters after officiating the Closing Ceremony of the Rakan Muda Convention 2025.
Despite the disturbance, she praised the growing trend of fans bringing their children to matches and said the presence of families at the final between Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Sri Pahang FC was a positive sign.
In the match, JDT beat Sri Pahang 2-1 to lift the 2024/2025 Malaysia Cup, making history by securing all four of Malaysia’s top domestic football titles — the Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup, and Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup — for a third successive season.
Yeoh also congratulated Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, former president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, on his election as a Council Member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for the 2025–2029 term during the BWF’s meeting in Xiamen, China.
“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. - April 27, 2025
