KUALA LUMPUR – How long will Stadium Corp and the Youth and Sports Ministry depend on Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim to save the day?
For the second time in a row, the Johor regent has generously stepped in to improve the state of the pitch at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
In 2022, Tunku Ismail agreed to sponsor the renovation cost to replace the cow grass pitch at Bukit Jalil with Zeon Zoysia as a gift to the national football team after the pitch was found to be in poor condition during the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers.
It is understood that the estimated cost of renovating the pitch was RM1.5 million, with RM300,000 required for maintenance to maintain its quality.
Since its refurbishment from cow grass, the Zeon Zoysia turf has been under scrutiny due to its frequently poor condition.
This has caused local football fans to criticise the Sports Ministry and Stadium Corp for allowing the pitch to be used for concerts instead of focusing solely on football usage.
The scrutiny over the past six months has led Stadium Corp to turn to hybrid grass over the existing Zeon Zoysia, with assistance from Tunku Ismail’s Johor Darul Ta’zim-owned Larkin Stadium.
Speaking to Scoop, Mohd Sadek Mustaffa, a sports analyst from Universiti Teknologi Mara, said that both Stadium Corp and the government should improve their problem-solving approach rather than excessively rely on Tunku Ismail for assistance.
“Honestly speaking, it’s a generous offer by Tunku Ismail, showing his concern for the national football team and the improvement of our football landscape. But for how long will the ministry and Stadium Corp keep hoping for Tunku Ismail to come and rescue the situation of the national football pitch without being accountable for their actions by taking good care of the pitch?
“I actually feel really bad for Tunku Ismail, as I honestly believe that it’s not his job to take care of the damage to the pitch and the Sports Ministry can’t always take Tunku Ismail for granted and use him as a shoulder to cry on.
“As the regent of Johor, his duty is to bear the responsibility of safeguarding the state and the people of Johor. The Bukit Jalil National Stadium falls under the jurisdiction of the government, and they should be the ones in charge of taking care of the pitch, and not Tunku Ismail.
“This clearly shows Stadium Corp’s inability in handling matters. If those who are in charge don’t know how to fulfil their responsibilities properly, they should give way to others who will be able to handle it well,” said Sadek when contacted.
So far the pitches at both the Larkin Stadium in Johor and the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Terengganu are the only ones in the country using hybrid pitches – Princess 77 Bermuda.
Recently, the coach of the Oman football team, Jaroslav Silhavy, revealed that they were not allowed to train on the pitch before their 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Malaysia on March 26.
The pitch was in a poor state after British pop star Ed Sheeran held a concert for a sold-out crowd of 50,000 at the National Stadium on February 24.
When the match started, the pitch quickly tore up and led to a serious injury for Malaysia defender Azam Azmi. – April 18, 2024