KUALA LUMPUR: The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, asserted that the referee should have issued red cards to JDT player Arif Aiman Hanapi and Perak FC player Tommy Mawat Bada after a scuffle between the two during last night's match at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI).
Furthermore, Tunku Ismail, who is also the owner of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), felt that Perak FC should have been awarded a penalty following a foul committed by JDT defender Feroz Baharudin on Perak FC player Clayton Silveira in the 37th minute.
"The ref should have given a red card to both players for fighting. As for Feroz's 50/50 challenge, I'm not sure. But if I were the ref, I'd have given Perak the penalty," Tunku Ismail said in a private message on his Instagram account.
Earlier, the referee, Razlan Joffri Ali, faced criticism for failing to send off Arif Aiman after he was seen punching Tommy, sparking a heated debate among fans, especially on social media.
The majority of football supporters believe that the national winger should have received a red card, as striking an opposing player is considered violent conduct under the rules of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and warrants a red card.
Fans also questioned two other incidents during the clash at SSI, where Perak FC was the designated home team.
Perak FC was not awarded a penalty in the 37th minute, despite JDT defender Feroz Baharudin fouling Clayton Silveira during a ball contest. A video assistant referee (VAR) review confirmed no penalty was given.
In contrast, JDT was awarded a penalty by VAR when a Perak FC defender fouled Bergson just before half-time, which Bergson successfully converted, taking the score to 4-0 in favour of the Southern Tigers.
JDT went on to secure a decisive 5-0 victory in a match that was twice delayed due to weather conditions, with Perak opting to play in Iskandar Puteri.