PERAK STADIUM PITCH UPGRADE 75 PCT COMPLETE - EXCO

IPOH, March 2 (Bernama) -- The Perak Stadium pitch upgrading project, which began last June, has reached 75 per cent physical completion and will be ready for use this August or September.

State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said the project is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), the Ipoh City Council (MBI), and the state government, with the original cost of RM800,000, covering the replacement of the pitch and basic facility improvements.

Ng added that during the project’s execution, technical assessments conducted with relevant departments and expert consultants identified several additional requirements to enhance the quality and long-term durability of the pitch.

“Among the additional works being carried out are modifications to the subsoil drainage system to accelerate water flow and reduce the risk of waterlogging.

“Improvements also include the construction of perimeter drainage to segregate water flow from the running track and the installation of an automatic pop-up sprinkler system, which was not in the original project scope,” she said.

Ng said this during a site visit to Perak Stadium here today to check on the progress of the pitch upgrade, which MBI is managing.

She added that MBI has also approved an additional RM413,000 allocation for the installation of an automatic sprinkler system with 24 nozzles for a more even and consistent watering across the entire pitch surface.

“The decision to add the system was made after a technical review found that installation must be completed before grass planting to avoid the risk of structural damage to the pitch and future repair costs.

“Watering was previously done manually and depended on manpower, resulting in inconsistent distribution. Originally, only 13 sprinklers were planned, but we have added 11 more, bringing the total to 24 units,” she said.

Ng said the sprinkler project is expected to be completed by late March or April 2026, followed by a maturation period for the grass before the pitch can be used at the optimum level.

“While there is a slight delay compared to the original schedule due to the additional works and technical coordination, these steps are necessary to ensure the pitch quality meets the set specifications and provides long-term benefits to users,” she added.

-- BERNAMA