KUALA LUMPUR – Pitch-upgrading works at Bukit Jalil National Stadium will begin in April and is expected to be completed by October at a cost of RM2.3 million.
Malaysia Stadium Corporation (PSM) chief executive officer Mohd Faidz Sanusi said the project will use allocations from the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and funds sponsored by Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
Faidz added that the RM2.3 million is solely for pitch upgrades and the drainage system, while another RM5 million will be used to upgrade other facilities such as electrical equipment, toilets, the media room, and seating.
The remaining allocation will be used to purchase equipment such as grow lights and other machinery needed for pitch maintenance.
“We have already begun the steps needed to upgrade the stadium, such as building a 850sqm nursery for the Zeon Zoysia grass next to the national hockey stadium, which we did not have before,” he said today during the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrading works at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
After its completion, Faidz said, the venue will still be used to host events such as concerts and other non-football activities.
“It is a multi-purpose stadium. We will still hold concerts here and the public will also be allowed to use the running track during events.
“Of course, we will discuss with the project contractor to ensure that we follow the necessary standard operating procedures to make sure that the pitch’s condition is cared for.
“That is why we have the nursery. If part of the pitch is damaged, we will be able to replace it with grass from the nursery.”
Faidz said project contractor Sports Turf Solutions Sdn Bhd, which was hired for pitch work at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, will ensure proper transfer of knowledge to PSM staff.
“We don’t want it to just be a contractor-driven project. We want all our workers to know how to take care of the pitch after the project is completed.
“The maintenance at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium is different from here, but if we have the right equipment and follow the right processes, we can make sure the pitch is taken care of well.”
The project is expected to be completed in October, in time for the Pestabola Merdeka and Sultan Selangor Cup on October 28.
Last upgraded in 2015 with axonopus compressus grass (cow grass), Bukit Jalil National Stadium has been plagued by poor pitch conditions and drainage issues. – The Vibes, March 18, 2023
