KUALA LUMPUR – The Bukit Jalil National Stadium has once again become the joke of the masses as netizens have taken social media by storm, criticising the poor field conditions during the Malaysia Cup final between Johor Darul Ta’zim FC and Terengganu FC tonight.
Several posts were shared by people on X, formerly Twitter, comparing the condition of the pitch to a cow farm.
“The Bukit Jalil pitch is so bad, even buffalos would prefer to lie on the tar road,” @TheUsopIbrahim commented.
User @EryNazrii is baffled why the match is not played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor instead.
“Why didn’t they just have the match in Johor? Damn, the Bukit Jalil pitch.”
Another user @hanifsani1 also compared the pitch to a public one near his old residential area.
“The public field at my old area looks even better than this one,” he posted.
Ground staff were seen patching the pitch with grass during half-time at the centre and the corners of the pitch.
A total of eight collisions and slip ups happened between the players from both JDT and Terengganu FC in the first half of the match.
Yesterday, Malaysia Stadium Corp released a statement apologising to the Malaysian Football League as organisers of the Malaysia Cup, as well as to JDT, Terengganu FC and football fans for the condition of the pitch.
“(We) did not have enough time to repair and return the pitch to optimum levels after Coldplay’s concert on November 22.
“(We are) committed to improving the standard operation procedure for the management of events at the National Stadium going forward,” read the statement.
On Monday, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who is also the owner of JDT, chided Stadium Corp chairman Datuk Hans Isaac for the condition of the pitch, which was undergoing repair works.
Malaysia Stadium Corp has spent RM4.7 million since June of last year as the stadium underwent extensive refurbishment.
This included work on the replacement of the field drainage system, the stadium’s electrical system, the protection fence, locker rooms and restroom facilities. – December 8, 2023