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Malaysia's Minister of Youth and Sports Khairy Jamaluddin has warned supporters travelling to Hanoi for Thursday's AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal to take extra care in the wake of crowd problems that marred Sunday's home leg. Five arrests were made after Malaysian and Vietnamese fans clashed at the Shah Alam Stadium as Vietnam came from behind to win 2-1. On his Facebook page, Jamaluddin issued an apology to any Vietnamese fans who suffered injuries in the disturbances. He called for Malaysian travellers to use caution ahead of the second leg at the My Dinh Stadium. "In light of this incident, I urge Malaysian fans travelling to Hanoi to take all necessary safety precautions. While we appreciate the safety assurance given by the [Vietnamese] Ambassador, tensions are still running high," he said. "I hope that all Malaysian travellers will not only be careful, but more importantly be responsible and respectful." The clashes at Shah Alam Stadium shocked Vietnamese fans watching the regional tournament on television. On Monday, the official website of the Football Association of Malaysia was bombarded with complaints. Jamaluddin, who watched the game at the stadium, has asked Malaysian police to fast track their investigations and use video and photographs to identify the culprits. "Although only a small segment of Malaysian fans turned unruly, their violent conduct directed at visiting Vietnamese fans was completely unacceptable and has tarnished Malaysia's reputation." The two nations also met at the semifinal stage of the 2010 tournament. Malaysia won 2-0 on aggregate before lifting the trophy for the first time after defeating Indonesia in the final.
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