PETALING JAYA – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will hold the Malaysia Stadium Corporation accountable for its commitment to ensuring the Bukit Jalil National Stadium pitch is in prime condition ahead of the crucial match against Taiwan for the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on June 11.
Stadium Corp is said to be in the process of restoring the pitch, which was used for the Battle of the Reds match between Manchester United and Liverpool legends on April 27.
However, concerns arise as international artist Harris Jayaraj from India is scheduled to hold a concert at the stadium on May 25.
Despite assurances from the stadium management that the concert would be confined to the track area and not affect the pitch, previous experiences with concerts featuring Ed Sheeran and Coldplay resulted in significant damage to the pitch.
This situation has sparked dissatisfaction among various stakeholders, leading Stadium Corp chairman Datuk Hans Isaac to face considerable criticism for failing to fulfil the promise of providing the best pitch for the Harimau Malaya squad.
“So far, I have been assured that activities such as concerts will be confined to the track area and will not be conducted on the pitch surface.
“Moreover, (Youth and Sports Minister) Hannah (Yeoh) herself has given assurances, and her efforts are greatly appreciated, especially in resolving such issues,” Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin told Scoop in an exclusive interview.
Last March, national coach Kim Pan-gon publicly criticised Stadium Corp for promising the moon and the stars but delivering a subpar pitch, which contributed to the team’s 0-2 defeat to Oman.
Unfortunately, player Azam Azmi Murad also suffered an injury during the match.
The defeat placed the national squad in third place in Group D with six points.
They are scheduled to face Kyrgyzstan on June 6 in Tashkent before returning to Kuala Lumpur for a crucial match against Taiwan on home ground on June 11, aiming to keep their hopes alive. – May 10, 2024