We’ve nothing to do with the riot — GB13 spokesman

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KUCHING: The most vocal supporters of Sarawak FA, GB13, yesterday said their members were not involved in the post-match riot at the State Stadium last Saturday.

Policemen look on as one of their cars was set on fire at the State Stadium on Saturday.

Their spokesman, Awang Khairul Adzhar, said GB13 members had remained at the terrace when the riot erupted outside the stadium.

“We kept on singing despite the result (which saw Sarawak and Perak drew 1-1) and flares were lit at every corner in the stadium. The allegations that GB13 instigated the riot is unfair and is only to defend failure to maintain order in the stadium,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

He was asked about comments on social media that accused GB13 of heading the riot outside, which left seven police vehicles damaged, including one burnt and another overturned.

Awang Khairul opined that the ugly incident resulted from the incident in Ipoh, where Perak fans allegedly attacked five Sarawakian supporters and hurled abusive and racial words at them.

“They said the mob was angry due to Sarawak failing to win, but the whole stadium witnessed how Sarawak supporters were calling for Perak fans to come out throughout the match. How can they be so blind to this?”

He added that if FAM and the peninsula media continued to treat Sarawak the way they had, the issue would not be settled and more incidents might occur in the future.

“The Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) stated that they have made an official report to Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on the matter, but report is just mere report. Nothing has been done. Is this just because we are Sarawakians?”

He also said that the supporters and Sarawakians as a whole were totally fed up with the way FAM treated Sarawak, while the peninsula media seemed to look away from the Perak incident.

“Sarawak supporters were known to be very welcoming to away fans. Just look at how JDT, Terengganu FA, Selangor FA, and even Kelantan FA supporters were treated here. Both sides were singing together despite the game result and were seen taking group photos and exchanging scarves.

“How can the West Malaysian media blindly accused us (of this)? From previous experience, our statements were twisted, and at the end we were at the losing end. This thing has got to stop.

“We are ready to help FAS in the near future and hope that such incidents would not happen again.”

Awang Khairul said what was important was for FAS to keep a very good relationship with supporters.

“A bad relationship with the fans is truly the last thing that should have come in mind.”

Awang Khairul also said the incident on Saturday night was a lesson for everyone, including GB13, that football is indeed a very emotional game to everyone.

The 1-1 draw with Perak on Saturday saw the worst riot in the country’s football history, said to have been sparked by attack in Ipoh where videos went viral on the social media.

The angry mob of more than 2,000 supporters was fighting with the Public Disorder Riot Unit (Poru) and Light Strike Force (LSF) before dozens of tear gas were shot to disperse the crowd.