KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Stadium Corp insists that the Bukit Jalil pitch will be ready in time for the World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan next month.
Its chairman, Datuk Hans Isaac, said the national stadium will be closed after tonight’s Merdeka Cup final between Malaysia and Tajikistan.
He said the pitch will be ready to be played on for the World Cup qualifier, despite Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim’s recommendation to give the pitch three months to be fully ready.
“After the Pestabola Merdeka final against Tajikistan tonight, the pitch will be closed until November 16.
“Work on the pitch will start tomorrow morning itself, so we have 30 days until the game (against Kyrgyzstan), and we are confident the field will be ready.
Hans also added that after the qualifier against Kyrgyzstan, the stadium will be shut down for further works on the RM1.5-million Zeon Zoysia grass.
“After the World Cup qualifiers on the 16th, we will follow the order by Tunku Ismail to close the field until the end of December.
“I believe we should not have any issues with the field after December, and it’s just a matter of maintaining the consistency of the field,” Hans told Scoop when contacted.
There have been further concerns raised by the public on how the Coldplay concert on November 22 will impact the condition of the grass.
Hans said there is nothing to worry about as the crew for the British band will only start setting up the stage on the running track on November 17.
Even though concertgoers will be on the pitch, the surface will be covered with terraplas 24 hours before the concert begins.
Terraplas is a covering designed to protect pitch surfaces from being damaged and is used the world over.
“The grass can be covered by terraplas for up to 70 hours, but we have told the management for Coldplay they are only allowed to cover the pitch for 30 hours.
“The covering needs to be removed the morning after the concert is finished. So those are the steps that we are taking to ensure the pitch is not damaged.
“Trust me, if there is anything that can jeopardise the condition of the pitch, we would not allow it to happen. That is my promise to Malaysians,” added Hans.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said that the Zeon Zoysia grass is being grown in a nursery in Shah Alam.
The contractor responsible for the maintenance of the Zeon Zoysia grass at Bukit Jalil is the same contractor for the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor Bahru, the home ground of Johor Darul Ta’zim.
“Repair works to the grass will not involve any added cost,” said Hannah. – October 17, 2023