{
  "id": 10160192,
  "title": "Malaysian journalists advised to avoid national colours at GBK",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/malaysian-journalists-advised-to-avoid-national-colours-at-gbk",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-27T06:36:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2026/09/1542208/malaysian-journalists-advised-avoid-national-colours-gbk"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jakarta - Malaysian journalists attending Monday's match between Malaysia and Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) have been instructed not to wear team attire or clothing that visibly identifies them as Malaysian. The directive follows violent incidents that erupted after Malaysia's 3-2 victory against Indonesia in a 2022 World Cup qualifier and 2023 Asian Cup match held at the stadium in 2019.\n\nAhmad Nazrin Syahmi Arif, a Bernama journalist who witnessed the 2019 clash, recounted it as one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his decade-long journalism career. He and his fellow Malaysian journalists and fans were forced to seek refuge in a room for approximately two hours before being permitted to exit. The journalists heard supporters shouting threats and saw them searching for Malaysians. Officials had reportedly arranged for the Malaysian team to depart in a secure Barracuda vehicle, accompanied by a heavy security presence.\n\nNazrin emphasized that to ensure personal safety, journalists should refrain from wearing Malaysia jerseys, as they could become targets or draw unwanted attention from hostile crowds. He expressed hope that the situation would not reoccur during the upcoming FIFA Asean Cup Group A match between the two nations. TVS correspondent David Andreas, who also covered the 2019 encounter, urged fans to accept the outcome regardless of the victor, stressing that it is merely a soccer game and should not provoke hostility. He echoed Nazrin's call for heightened security measures for the upcoming tournament, noting that over 5,000 security personnel will be stationed around GBK, with at least two Barracuda vehicles on standby, including one for transporting the Malaysian team in the event of unrest.",
  "summary": "JAKARTA: Malaysian journalists covering Monday’s match against Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno have been advised against wearing team shirts or clothing that clearly identifies them as Malaysian.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}