マレーシア・ニュース

チェルシー来馬、政治絡めず

コタ・ティンギィ：ロンドンの人気サッカーチーム、チェルシーが夏のアジアンツアーの一環として、７月にマレーシアで親善試合を行うが、グラント監督とミッドフィールダーのTal Ben Haim選手がイスラエル人であるため、反発しているグループがある。政府は今回の来馬は純粋にスポーツの交流が目的であり、政治問題として扱うべきではなく、2人の入国を許可する方向だと昨日発表した。チェルシーは人々に人気のあるチームであり、多くのサッカーファンがマレーシアでのプレイを楽しみにしているとコメントした。

イスラエル人スポーツ選手の来馬に関しては、1997年にもクリケットの大会で同様の反対行動が起きている。その時も政府は政治不介入の立場をとっており、今回も同様の措置がとられる。

ジョホールで開催された防犯キャンペーンに参加するシェド・ハミッド大臣（写真左）

無断転載はお断りいたします

[4月28日　9：31　MCS]

ニュース・ソース

Syed Hamid: Chelsea's Israelis coming here for sports, not politics

KOTA TINGGI: The Home Ministry sees no reason to stop the entry of two Israeli members of the English football team Chelsea to Malaysia despite protests by certain groups.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the two team members were coming here for sports.

“We do not look at the aspect of politics,'' Syed Hamid told reporters after launching the Johor state-level Community Policing programme here yesterday.

“It should not be a problem (for them to come). Chelsea is a good team and everyone wants to see them play,” he said, responding to the visa applications of Chelsea’s coach Avram Grant and midfielder Tal Ben Haim.

The two Israeli citizens are set to be in Malaysia this July as part of their Asian summer tour.

The West London club is also scheduled to play against China's Super League team, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical, on July 23.

Syed Hamid said Malaysia did not recognise Israel as it felt that the country did not fulfil its international responsibilities.

The last time Israeli athletes were allowed to enter Malaysia was for the ICC Cup cricket tournament in Kuala Lumpur in 1997, although there was also some opposition then.

Also present at yesterday's Community Policing programme launch were Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff and Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

The programme is aimed at encouraging the people’s involvement, understanding of their roles and responsibilities in fighting crime.

For the time being, the programme is carried out at the police district level, headed by the respective district police chief.

Syed Hamid, who is also Kota Tinggi MP, said he could see better results in crime prevention with the launch of the programme.

<28-4-2008　THE STAR>