JOHOR BARU: From mamak restaurants to even public parks, there is no stopping Malaysian football fans from gathering in large groups just to see Harimau Malaya in action in the AFC Asian Cup on the big screen.
Restaurant owner Sahul Hamid Yaacob, 48, said Malaysians are enthusiastic when it comes to sports, especially football.
“Mamak restaurants are always the main choice for football fans to gather as they are able to watch the game in a comfortable environment where they can also eat and drink.
“Whether it is the English Premier League or even the World Cup, football fans usually love watching the matches at eateries that provide a big screen.
“Malaysia played against Jordan in their first match during the wee hours of Tuesday, and there is a good crowd at my restaurant supporting our players despite many waking up early to prepare for work,” he said.
Sahul said although Malaysia lost 4-0 during the tournament in Qatar, he still expected Malaysians to continue showing their support for the national football team.
“We have two more matches remaining in the tournament. Many fans are eager to see our local players take on South Korea, which has well-known footballers playing in Europe.
“The match against South Korea is next Thursday, which is an early kickoff. So many fans will surely come to mamak restaurants to have dinner and watch the game,” he said.
In a Facebook post, Johor youth, sports, entrepreneur development, cooperatives and human resources committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said together with a large group of fans, they watched the game at the state-level big screen in Kampung Dato Onn here.
“Even though we lost to Jordan, the fans stayed on to support our players until the final whistle. Let us continue to show our support to the national football team that still has two more matches in the tournament,” he said.
