Old Writings: Bukit Jalil 2014 AFF Final

Disclaimer: The following is an old blog post from 2014 written by Brother Khal

The people who are in-charge, won last night. Tickets were oversold. The stadium capacity were over exhaust by an additional few thousand. There was no proper coordination between the security teams of the police, RELA and others. Fans risked their lives just to get a view of the game. A view, even a tiny part of the pitch was sufficient to risk their lives for. A number of disappointed younger fans with their families sitting at the side of the stand entrances looked dismayed for not having the chance of watching the game. At the end of the night, the people who are in-charge. Their wallets got a bit fatter.

The organisers should have coordinated with the businesses coming to the stadium grounds. To ensure there wouldn't be any wastage of items, like food, clothing & others. Organisers & the stadium ground should have worked hand in hand with each other. For example, for every X amount of food & beverage stalls open along with a certain ratio of spectators. There should be an adequate amount of functioning toilets & running water.

Let's face it sometimes fans are a finicky bunch. Still want to head to the stadiums even when the tickets are sold out. Well open up proper fan viewing zones around the stadium grounds or adjacent to them. Fully sponsored by companies associated with the competition, for doing that they get revenue. Have the whole Bukit Jalil or Shah Alam area soaked in one huge Malaysian atmosphere in & around the stadium.

To add to the topic of fans, this is just a suggestion. Could there be a section in the stadiums for families. Feel that they deserve an allocation section for themselves. Like the Ultras have. So that, you know families can enjoy themselves without having to worry too much.

With that, comes to the idea of FREE SEATING, what a load of (French Words). For that alone, shows somewhat of a lack of faith towards the Malaysian Football public that we'd even attend matches. If the tickets were to be sold accordingly to their seat numbers. A lot of the problems wouldn't arise.

For the Ultras, who were magnificent. Consider giving them a section properly dedicated to them. Like in other nations, most Ultras purchase sections that have standing seats, so that they can display their supportive art to the nation & the footballing world watching.

With all of that comes traffic jams, synonymous with Malaysians & people who lives in the Klang Valley area. However the traffic isn't vehicle type, it's the mass human traffic. Again everything is down to those who have the power to make things happen. Improve the facilities. Coordinated traffic flow. Start having standards, of International standards(hint Safee)

The infrastructure of the Stadiums, were not maintained and not even the sights of improvements. It is a sad fact that the stadiums will be left alone after clean up. Left alone standing until the next footballing event.

Do they conduct a proper postmortem? If they did, if they cared & if they have a set of convictions. Malaysian football fans wouldn't have suffered so much.

Today in 2021, with the pandemic - admin wonder are the chances of this happening again in a post-covid Malaysia?