KUALA LUMPUR – Building a thriving sports community requires more than just passion, it takes a collective effort and smart investment.
That’s exactly what Ulu Klang Recreational Club (UKRC) is achieving by carefully managing its resources to maintain a top-tier pitch, allowing the club to host tournaments and nurture the next generation of athletes.
Speaking to Scoop, UKRC’s newly appointed president Brendan Lee said that with the support of the current state government and its members, the club is currently expanding the facilities in the area with plans to develop futsal and badminton courts for broader community use, including grassroots programmes, in the coming years.
UKRC has been spending at least RM50,000 a year to maintain its facilities, including the quality of the pitch.
The funding has been secured through sponsorships and donations from members and supporters, including local businesses.
“This place has a long history, and we want to protect it at all costs. We’ve endured many struggles over the years, but now we want to move forward and do better for the Ulu Klang community.
The pitch, which has been in existence since 1958, has faced numerous challenges over the years as the club worked hard to regain the field that was once seized by the Selangor state government.
It was reported that Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya seized the UKRC field in 2013, following instructions from then-Selangor menteri besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who wanted to develop the land into a commercial zone.
UKRC brought the case to court, arguing – among other things – that the field had not been properly maintained by the council. However, their application was dismissed.
After years of discussions with the Selangor state government, it was only in 2022 that current Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and the state Exco members agreed to return the football pitch to the community club for its football programs.
“The past is the past, and we don’t blame the previous state governments for what went wrong, but we are truly thankful to Amirudin Shari for helping us. We are grateful to have someone who cares deeply about the development of sports.
Thanks to Amirudin’s intervention, UKRC recently successfully organised its 18th International Soccer 9s tournament after a long hiatus.
“Over the years, we have also focused on grassroots programmes, and several players have emerged from our club to play at the state level.
“We couldn’t continue these programs due to the issues we’ve faced for the past decade, but we are eager to restart and continue our legacy by helping the youth.
“We have been surviving on the funds we’ve raised, but we are now also planning to rent out our pitch to outside groups to organise tournaments.
“This will help generate revenue to achieve our goal of building futsal and badminton courts at the club,” said Lee during the closing ceremony of the 18th International Soccer 9s tournament.
The 18th International Soccer 9s tournament featured 10 teams (Koalas International from Australia, Youngster Brunei FC, Kixx Veteran from Sabah, Penampang Old Boys from Sabah, Penang Sports Club, Malacca Club Veterans, Malaysian Grasshoppers, STG Veterans, Bright & Bright Master FC, and UKRC) competing for the trophy on September 7 and 8.
The tournament final saw STG Veterans win the 18th edition, defeating Bright & Bright Master FC 5-4 on penalties. – September 14, 2024