Surabaya. The East Java Police declined to issue clearance for a Liga 1 match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya scheduled for Sunday, which should become the first encounter between the neighboring teams after their October 1 clash which was followed by a deadly crush that killed more than 130 Arema supporters in Malang.

Citing security risks, the police suggested on Friday that the big match be held in another province without spectators.

"We’d like to inform you that the match between Persebaya and Arema is recommended to be postponed due to ongoing renovation works at Bung Tomo Stadium. Moreover, the match of Persebaya versus Arema historically posed the risk of heated rivalries and accordingly we recommend that this particular match be held outside of East Java," police spokesman Chief Comr. Dirmanto told reporters in Surabaya.

He added that the recommendation was based on a request from the organizing committee of Persebaya, the host of the upcoming match.

The stadium in the provincial capital is being renovated as one of the venues of the U20 FIFA World Cup starting in May.

The last derby between the two major East Java football teams ended in one of the world’s worst tragedies after police fired tear gas munitions at hundreds of spectators to control the mob inside Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang after home team Arema was defeated by Persebaya on that Saturday night.

People died in the crush and in the stampede during the chaos that followed as many of the exit gates were locked, but police denied that the firing of tear gas was the leading cause of the massive death toll.

Six people including three officers were named criminal suspects in the aftermath of the tragedy.

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