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FA Cup: Postponed Pahang-JDT To Be Played On Saturday In Bukit Jalil

PETALING JAYA, May 29 (Bernama) -- The FA Cup semifinal second-leg match between Pahang and Johor Darul Takzim (Johor DT) which was postponed due to crowd trouble at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan yesterday, will be held at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here on Saturday (June 1) with the kick-off time set for 4.15pm.

Announcing this here Wednesday, FA of Malaysia (FAM) Local Competitions Committee chairman Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said a neutral venue was chosen for security and safety reasons.

"We have to hold the match in daytime because upgrading work on the floodlights system there is still in process while the Shah Alam Stadium is not available as a concert will be staged there this Saturday.

"And as FAM itself will be handling this match, we will be suggesting to FAM's Tickets and Entrance Committee to use the 50-50 formula in distributing the 90,000 tickets available to the two teams," he said.

Hamidin had earlier chaired a meeting of the Local Competitions Committee that lasted almost five hours at the Wisma FAM, in Kelana Jaya.

Commenting on last night's postponement, Hamidin, who is also FAM vice-president, said stadium officials found fans had gatecrashed through four entrances.

"We will ask the FA of Pahang to take immediate countermeasures and also write to other state FAs to remind them the importance of taking safety and security seriously," he said, adding that the FA of Pahang had been fined RM100,000 for its failure to ensure last night's match went without a hitch.

"Johor DT, meanwhile, were fined RM20,000 for abandoning the stadium at 9.50pm when the match ending time was 10.15pm...the punishment on the two teams is final and cannot be appealed," he said.

FA of Pahang (PBNP) honorary-secretary Fuzeimi Ibrahim when approached by reporters after the meeting, said he would be raising the matter with PBNP president Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah as the fine was "way too high".

Johor DT won the first leg 1-0 and if they get past Pahang on Saturday, will meet defending champions Kelantan in the final at the same venue on June 29.

In JOHOR BAHARU, FA of Johor president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim suggested that Saturday's match be played in an empty stadium in addressing safety and security concerns so that there was no repeat of what happened in Kuantan.

"For safety reasons its better to play in an empty stadium. The safety of fans takes precedence," he told reporters at Istana Bukit Pelangi here tonight.

He added that he would be writing an official letter to FAM to pursue the matter (having Saturday's match played in an empty stadium).

-- BERNAMA

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