Australian F1 fans detained for disrespecting Malaysia

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR (AA) - Nine Australians -- among them a government political adviser -- have been detained by Malaysian authorities for insulting behavior after they stripped at a Formula 1 race to reveal underwear decorated with the Malaysian flag.

Sepang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Aziz Ali told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that the men were arrested during Sunday's race for defaming national identity and creating a public nuisance, and will be detained until Thursday.

"We have opened investigation papers. They have committed two crimes, first by wearing the national flag as innerwears and they have also created public nuisance by stripping in public," he said in a phone conversation.

Sepang International Circuit (SIC) Chief Executive Datuk Razlan Razali, the race host, stressed the men must be reprimanded for disrespecting the country's national identity.

"This shows how disrespectful they are towards the sensitivity of Malaysians. They should be punished. SIC fully condemns actions such as these," he told Anadolu Agency via text message.

He earlier told the New Straits Times that the men deserved to be locked up.

"This shows a huge lack of respect to us as Malaysians; this is stupid behavior from foreigners who have no sense of cultural sensitivity and respect," he said.

"It embarrasses their own country as well -- it gives Australians a bad name."

On Sunday, the nine, aged 25-29 years old, and in full view in full view of thousands of spectators at the Sepang race track, stripped to swimsuits with the words "budgy smuggler" across the back after countryman, Daniel Ricciardo, won the race.

"Budgy smuggler" is an Australian colloquial term for tight-fitting men's swimwear.

Video footage then shows the men drinking beer from their shoes.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Tuesday that one of the nine was Jack Walker, adviser to Australian Defense Industry Minister Chris Pyne, provoking further widespread revulsion on social media.

"A bit of respect for the country you're visiting?" one Twitter user, @johnqgoh, wrote.

Others called their actions "embarrassingly stupid".