Four football fans were on Monday charged for rioting during the abandoned World Cup 2018 qualifying match between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia earlier in the month, a police statement said.
The charges against the four suspects, aged between 24 and 35, were filed before the Shah Alam Magistrates Court in the outskirt of the Malaysian capital, the statement said.
The crime carries a penalty of up to two years imprisonment, if convicted.
The suspects pleaded not guilty to rioting by setting up flares, smoke bombs and fireworks late in the September 8 game when Malaysia were trailing Saudi Arabia 2 -1.
The referees abandoned the match to protect the players and the fans, as well as to prevent the situation from escalating.
Malaysia's football association has come under fire over the poor performance of the national team in World Cup qualifying games.
In its first three qualifying games ahead of the Saudi Arabia game, Malaysia were held 1-1 by lowly Timor Leste, received a 6-0 thrashing against Palestine and suffered a humiliating 10-0 loss to United Arab Emirates in the first week of September.
