KLFA Has No Exclusive Right Over Stadium Merdeka - PNB

20 Mac, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur Football Association (KLFA) has no exclusive right over Stadium Merdeka but is allowed to use it on match per match basis for league matches.

Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the historic stadium where the proclamation of the Federation of Malaya was read out on Aug 31, 1957, is a gratitude for the nation and cannot solely be used for football.

"When PNB took over Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara in 2000, it was decided that both stadiums would be preserved permanently according to their status as national heritage icon for all Malaysians.

"If KLFA wants to use the stadium again, they may come back to me and we may arrange some terms," he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama, here today.

Kuala Lumpur faced a big problem in the match against Sabah when the pitch was in terrible condition making it unsafe for professional football matches.

Sabah's imported player El Hadji Diouf lambasted the pitch condition after Sabah beat Kuala Lumpur 2-0 in the opening match of the season.

Football Association Malaysia (FAM) secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin then urged KLFA to find another home ground as the pitch is unsafe for league games.

However, Ahmad Sarji said the pitch is in good condition and the quality will be fully restored to an acceptable standard within one to two months to host major football tournaments and sporting events.

"The stadium's management is undertaking appropriate measures to improve pitch quality, which includes regular weeding, watering and trimming of the grass.

"Beside that, regular removing of wild growths and foreign objects to promote healthy growth of the grass and engaging full time supervisor to supervise and monitor the rehabilitation work on the pitch are the part of the measures."

The stadium has been preserved in almost its original form in 1957, including the reinstatement of state crests of the Federation of Malaya to symbolise the birth of a nation.

Ahmad Sarji said the seating capacity of 20,000 will remain and PNB has no plans to change the concrete seatings as a part of measures to preserve the heritage site.

The report by PNB also claimed that the bad pitch during the league match on Feb 6 was caused by construction work done by KLFA three days earlier.

PNB aspires to bring back the shine to Stadium Merdeka, built to celebrate the nation's independence by then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman by using it for sporting, cultural activities and events to promote unity among Malaysians.

Meanwhile, Bernama's visit to Stadium Merdeka found that the cow grass, planted in 1957 on imported volcano soil is still healthy but unsuitable for professional football as it is still imperfect.

Kuala Lumpur, promoted to the Premier League this year, is in 10th place with three points after recording one win and four losses.

Their next match is against Kedah on April 3.

Sumber - Bernama www.bernama.com