Penang seeks RM67mil for stadium

An aerial view of the State Stadium in Batu Kawan which has a FIFA-certified football field and 40,000 seating capacity. — Filepic

THE Penang Stadium Corporation and Open Spaces (PSDKLPP) will need RM67mil to upgrade the State Stadium in Batu Kawan.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who is chairman of the corporation, hoped the needed allocation would be included in the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12).”

The corporation has applied through the state economic planning unit for the allocation under RMK12.

“We hope for good news as a large portion of the needed allocation will go towards important repairs, ” he said during a visit to the stadium last Saturday.

In Sept 2018, The Star reported that the RM104mil stadium was in a sorry state after becoming a white elephant since the 8th Sukma Games.

Built in 2000, it has a capacity for 40,000 spectators,

Apart from hosting minor events and some premier league football matches, it is eerily quiet.

Built by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the stadium was later handed over to the then Seberang Prai Municipal Council to be maintained.

Between 2012 and 2013, the Penang Sports Council took over its management but the PDC assumed the role in May 2014.

RM1.89mil was spent on repairs to the railings, the lighting, goal posts, air-conditioning and renovation of the toilets and food stalls.

An additional RM300,300 was spent on repairs to the irrigation system, replanting of grass while RM678,320 went to the repair of scoreboard, sound reinforcement system, floodlights and speakers.

With all the upgrading, the football field was certified by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in 2017, making it one out of two FIFA-certified football stadiums in the country, the other being the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, PSDKLPP would be calling for a request for proposal (RFP) for its Seberang Jaya Public Swimming Pool Complex.

Chow said the RFP is for the upgrading works, maintenance and management of the facility.

“The issue about the swimming pool complex in Seberang Jaya has been discussed many times but the solution was delayed for a few years due to lack of a concrete plan for the upgrading works.”

“When the state government established PSDKLPP in 2017, we decided to hand over a few assets, including the Seberang Jaya Public Swimming Pool Complex, to PSDKLPP for them to call for an RFP, ” he said.

Chow said PSDKLPP has completed necessary paperwork to be submitted to the state Financial Department for the next procedure before the RFP is called.

The Seberang Jaya Public Swimming Pool Complex will remain closed until further notice to allow for the upgrading works to take place after the RFP is called.