KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim voiced his dissatisfaction with the match officiating during his team's 5-0 win over Perak at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium yesterday.
In a rare public statement, the Crown Regent of Johor called for stricter action from referee Razlan Joffri Ali, particularly regarding an altercation during the match.
The incident occurred in the 84th minute when JDT's Arif Aiman Hanapi and Perak's Tommy Mawat Bada clashed. Despite clear evidence of a physical exchange, with some reports suggesting Arif may have thrown a punch, Razlan chose to issue yellow cards to both players.
Tunku Mahkota Ismail, however, felt both players should have been sent off.
"The referee should have shown red cards to both players for fighting," he said.
"As for the Feroz 50/50 challenge, I can't say for sure, but if I were the referee, I would have awarded Perak a penalty."
The clash between Arif and Tommy has sparked much debate on social media, with fans and pundits alike questioning the consistency of the refereeing. According to International Football Association Board regulations, violent conduct, including throwing punches, warrants an automatic red card.
The Super League match, which had already been postponed twice due to heavy rain, was marred by several contentious decisions.
In the 37th minute, Perak players felt they should have been awarded a penalty after JDT's Feroz Baharudin appeared to have fouled Clayton Silveira. However, after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, the referee upheld his decision and no penalty was given. This further fuelled frustration among Perak supporters, who were already feeling aggrieved by the officiating.
VAR did intervene in the 45th minute, awarding JDT a penalty for a foul on Brazilian striker Bergson. The spot-kick was converted by Bergson himself.