PETALING JAYA: It is time for Malaysia to seriously consider implementing policies or laws related to football-related crimes.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Centre for Policy Research criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy (pic) said this after three national footballers were victims of crime this past week.
He believes the role of social media in exacerbating the problems is worrying.
“Inflammatory or abusive social media posts can escalate tensions and make the situation worse, rather than helping to address the underlying issues,” he said.
There are concerns over athletes’ safety after national winger Faisal Halim, who is also known as Mickey, suffered an acid attack at a shopping mall in Klang Valley last Sunday.
Earlier on May 2, national winger and Terengganu player Akhyar Rashid was assaulted and robbed near his residence in Kuala Terengganu.
The latest incident involved former national captain Safiq Rahim whose car’s windscreen was smashed by two men and he shared the police report on his Instagram account late Tuesday (May 7) night.
With professional footballers being specifically targeted or profiled, Sundramoorthy said there is a troubling pattern of violence against them.
“More information would be needed to determine if this is a targeted issue or just random acts of violence and aggression.
“Authorities should investigate thoroughly to understand the root causes and motives behind any attacks on footballers. Measures may be needed to improve security and protection for players, as well as crackdown on social media harassment.
“The football association, clubs, and player representatives should also speak out firmly against the violence and work with authorities to find solutions. Fostering a safer, more respectful environment for players is crucial.”
Sundramoorthy added that broader societal factors like hooliganism, fan radicalisation, or deeper sociopolitical tensions may be contributing to the problem and would need to be addressed as well.
“Overall, it’s a complex issue that requires a multi-pronged approach to understand the dynamics at play and implement effective measures to protect players from harm, whether the attacks are targeted or random.
“Transparency and accountability will be important.”
