A joint meeting between the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and the National Police resulted in a decision to tighten cooperation and address problems related to match cancelations, potential security threats and match-fixing, as national clubs gear up for league competitions.

Liga 1, 2 and 3 will be held from Feb. 29 to early November, with 18 soccer clubs set to compete in the top-tier Liga 1 and play 306 matches.

PSSI chief Comr. Gen. Mochammad Iriawan acknowledged that he often encountered complaints from club owners, managers and players in relation to the three aforementioned problems. Therefore, he went on, all stakeholders could use this year’s competitions as an opportunity to address them.

“When I visited Semarang [Central Java], a Liga 2 club manager told me that his vehicle ownership document had been stored at a bank as collateral and he was unable to get it back,” he said.

“When I ask why, he explained that he had used all his money to buy plane tickets and book hotels for his team for a match in Sumatra. But the match was abruptly canceled.”

Iriawan vowed during his campaign for PSSI chief that he would use his influence with the National Police to ensure that matches are not canceled abruptly over matters that can still be addressed and handled by law enforcement.

“One canceled match could affect an entire championship. And from a logistics point of view, the clubs whose matches are canceled must adjust their budget,” he said.

“The police have a pivotal role in tackling this problem, but it would require the participation of both the police and the clubs.”

More clubs have expressed their concerns over match schedules changing at a moment’s notice, especially with local elections set to be held at the same time as league competitions.

Some 270 local elections for regency, mayor and governor posts will be held across the country this year.

Iriawan said the association would do everything in its power to ensure that matches would continue as scheduled.

The joint meeting also discussed potential security threats and ways to keep both players and fans safe. The PSSI has long grappled with the problem of matches between clubs with a history of rivalry erupting in violence between supporters.

On Tuesday, for example, a mass brawl broke out between East Java-based clubs Arema Malang and Persebaya Surabaya near the Supriyadi stadium in Blitar. Two people were injured and four motorcycles were reportedly burned in the clashes before the match, which was part of the East Java Governor’s Cup.

“We have been made aware of this situation. We are considering our options [for future matches]. They could be held without supporters or still with supporters but with additional police presence. We can also organize matches in a neutral area,” Iriawan said.

The head of the police’s antimatch-fixing task force, Brig. Gen. Hendro Pandowo, who was also at the joint meeting, said his team would focus on monitoring matches this year.

“Especially those between clubs that have been a big target of match-fixing.”

Save Our Soccer Coalition coordinator Akmal Marhali criticized the suggestion of holding a match without supporters, saying that the police should be able to identify a potential threat and neutralize it before kickoff.

“The loyal and eager supporters would once again [suffer] because of such a plan,” he told The Jakarta Post.

He also called on the antimatch-fixing task force to do more than just monitor. It needs to make its presence known as a law enforcement unit so that people would think twice before disrupting matches, he added.

“Every time [the task force] spots a crime happening during a match, it should address this legally. It should bring these people to justice and not just waste time monitoring the leagues.”

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