KUALA LUMPUR – The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) said its RM100 million Tun Abdul Razak Stadium in Jengka, Pahang, will not be left abandoned despite Felda United’s decision to quit the M-League next season due to financial constraints.
The stadium has hosted all of Felda United’s home matches ever since it opened in 2015.
Many questions have been raised within the football fraternity on the stadium’s continuity after the team’s management decided to exit the scene.
A Felda spokesman told The Vibes that the stadium will not turn into a wasted investment and will be put to good use, including renting its space to interested parties.
“We have plans for the stadium. It is all in the pipeline, but we assure that it will be put to good use.
“We want to use the stadium to build a community, gathering all generations together through sports and healthy lifestyles.”
However, it has yet to be seen whether any party is willing to organise gatherings at the stadium, which is located in the middle of nowhere – especially when other football clubs already have their own stadiums in the city centre, making it easy for their supporters to come.
The Tun Abdul Razak Stadium was built specifically for football matches. Without a running track, it cannot be used to host other sporting events, and its maintenance cost is RM50,000 a month.
On October 9, The Vibes reported that Felda had a multimillion-ringgit white elephant on its hands following the football team’s decision to quit the M-League.
The Tun Abdul Razak Stadium is ranked second behind the new Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor, in terms of facilities and infrastructure.
Asked by The Vibes, the Felda spokesman denied the possibility of the stadium being sold to interested parties.
It is understood that the stadium will be a hard sell considering the Covid-19 pandemic and soft economy. Its remote location – the nearest hotel is 20km to 30km away – does not help its case.
The Vibes, in a November 11 article, suggested that the stadium be used to complete the remaining Malaysia Cup matches.
However, the government was adamant about postponing the tournament, leading to its cancellation. – The Vibes, November 20, 2020
