KUALA LUMPUR – Is the Bukit Jalil National Stadium ready for a new pitch?
With Regent of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim once again stepping in to improve the pitch’s current state, questions have arisen on whether the national stadium is prepared to accommodate the decreed new hybrid grass.
The current Zeon Zoysia turf has been under scrutiny due to its frequently poor condition following its refurbishment from cow grass over the past six months.
Speaking to Scoop, seasoned sports analyst from Universiti Teknologi Mara, Mohd Sadek Mustaffa, said that it would be challenging for hybrid grass to thrive in the aged infrastructure of the national stadium.
He emphasised that Stadium Corp had to invest in technologies to maintain the pitch conditions, such as using grow lights to stimulate grass growth.
The stadium, constructed in 1998 for the Commonwealth Games at a cost of RM1 billion, underwent major renovations as part of the Kuala Lumpur Sports City project for the 2017 SEA Games in the capital, with a combined cost of RM1.34 billion.
“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,” said Sadek when contacted.
“However, sports excellence and good facilities go hand in hand, and any sport will suffer without proper facilities. While the rest of the world is progressing, we are regressing due to the lack of appropriate technology to maintain our pitches.
“If we look at countries in Europe such as England, France and Germany, they use technology like ‘grow-light technology’ to care for their pitches, ensuring they receive sufficient sunlight and are well prepared for matches.
“The infrastructure of our national stadium was not designed to receive adequate sunlight for the pitch, hence Stadium Corp must invest in grow lights to maintain the pitch. Until this is done, regardless of how many times the grass is changed, the result will remain the same.”
Premier League stadiums in England such as Manchester United’s home ground Old Trafford, Anfield (Liverpool) and the Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) use grow-light technology to take care of the conditions of their Zeon Zoysia and hybrid pitches.
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.
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 Harimau Malaya after the pitch was found to be in poor condition during the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers.
The current Zeon Zoysia grass at the stadium is also used at the Johor Darul Ta’zim-owned Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri.
It is understood that the estimated cost of renovating the pitch was RM1.5 million, with RM300,000 required for maintenance to uphold its quality.
Stadium Corp has spent RM4.7 million since June 2022 as the stadium underwent extensive refurbishment, including the replacement of the field drainage system, the stadium’s electrical system, the protection fence, locker rooms and restroom facilities. – April 18, 2024