By Tedong Rantayy
MIRI, Aug 22: The Rumpun Silat Sarawak Supreme Council has voiced strong opposition to the outcome of a controversial quarterfinal match between Sarawak’s Iman Syakilla Mahdi and the Federal Territories’ Nurin Alyaa Damia Masran in the 45kg Putri Class, which took place yesterday.
The match ended with Nurin Alyaa being declared the winner, following an agreement between both teams’ coaches.
However, the decision has been met with resistance from the Sarawak Silat Council, which convened a meeting earlier today to address the situation.
During the match, tensions escalated when Nurin Alyaa regained the lead with a score of 70-65, which displeased many spectators, leading to a chaotic scene where individuals threw a plastic bottle and cup into the arena.
The incident is believed to have stemmed from dissatisfaction with the scoring system, which allegedly malfunctioned during the match.
In response to the incident, the council made several decisions, including a request for a full explanation regarding the technical issues and increased security measures for future events.
The council emphasised that the situation was a controlled riot and not as severe as depicted on social media.
As a precautionary measure, all pencak silat events scheduled at the Miri Indoor Stadium from today (Aug 22) til the end of the competition on Aug 23 will proceed without spectators.
Abbas Hamzah Muhd Haneef, Secretary-General of Rumpun Silat Sarawak, in a press conference today reiterated the council’s stance and called for better technology and equipment to ensure fair and professional judging in future matches.
He emphasised the importance of maintaining the integrity and spirit of the sport, urging for calm and rational decision-making moving forward.
The council remains committed to ensuring the sport is judged professionally and fairly, to honour the traditions of silat and uphold the respect of its fans from across Malaysia. — DayakDaily
