Mr Hamid also called for the officers involved to be prosecuted. “This loss of life cannot go unanswered,” he said.
The 1964 football disaster in Lima, Peru which killed 328 people was also prompted by the firing of tear gas as did the 2001 disaster in Accra, Ghana which killed 126 people.
National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said police have launched an internal inquiry to review police handling of the situation.
“We have already collected data from the crime scene. What is clear is that we will seriously investigate to the very end,” he said on Sunday.
DID THE SECURITY PERSONNEL ACT EXCESSIVELY?
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Indonesian military chief Andika Perkasa admitted that some military personnel responsible for securing the match had acted excessively by hitting fans who were already retreating or lying helpless on the ground.
“For me, this is a criminal act. We will not (impose) disciplinary sanctions but (launch a) criminal (prosecution). Because (their actions) were excessive,” he said.
Police had not made a similar pledge saying that the decision to punish the officers involved in the incident depends on the outcome of its investigation.
National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo said police are currently investigating the crime scene including examining footage taken by the stadium’s surveillance cameras.
Police, he said, will also question officials from the league, the provincial chapter of the PSSI, Arema and the province’s Youth and Sports Agency.
Mr Prasetyo added that police have also questioned 18 police officers who were involved in securing the match as part of its internal investigation.
INDEPENDENT FACT FINDING TEAM
Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security, Mohammad Mahfud said over capacity might also be to blame.
“The number of spectators should be based on the stadium’s capacity, which is 38,000 people. But the organiser did not do this… The ticket sold was 42,000,” he told local media on Sunday.
Mr Mahfud announced on Monday that the government is forming an independent fact finding team comprising senior government officials, representatives of football clubs and associations as well as academics and the media to determine what happened at Kanjuruhan Stadium.
The team, which will be headed by Mr Mahfud himself, is expected to complete its fact finding task and make recommendations in two or three weeks time.
“Police are asked to immediately identify the culprits over the next few days. Police are also asked to conduct an evaluation on how security is handled in their respective areas,” he told a press conference at his office in Jakarta.