Jokowi orders safety review in wake of deadly Indonesia football stampede

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Sunday (Oct 2) ordered a safety review of the country's football matches after 129 people were killed in a stampede triggered by clashes between fans and police.

In a televised statement, he said country's sports and youth minister, national police chief and Indonesian football association chief were ordered "to conduct a thorough evaluation of football matches and the security procedures".

Separately, the governor of East Java announced that the families of the victims will receive 15 million rupiah (US$980) in compensation.

Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the provincial government will give 10 million rupiah ($650) and the local regency will give five million rupiah.

"This is part of our empathy to the families of the victims," she said.

At least 129 people died at a football stadium on Saturday night in the eastern city of Malang when thousands of fans invaded the pitch and police fired tear gas that triggered a stampede, authorities said on Sunday.

The tragedy, which also left 180 injured, was one of the world's deadliest sporting stadium disasters.

Arema FC supporters at the Kanjuruhan stadium stormed the pitch late on Saturday after their team lost 3-2 to the visiting team and bitter rivals, Persebaya Surabaya.

Police, who described the unrest as "riots", said they tried to persuade fans to return to the stands and fired tear gas after two officers were killed.

Many of the victims were trampled or choked to death, according to police.

East Java police chief Nico Afinta said a total of 127 people had died, but the toll was later raised to 129.

A hospital director told local TV that one of the victims was five years old.

Images taken from inside the stadium during the stampede showed