SPORTING facilities operated by local authorities in Klang Valley may soon enjoy lower electricity bills once they are equipped with solar panels.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said a proposal was being considered to install solar panels at such facilities to help the authorities keep their costs down.
She said many local authorities tended to close sporting facilities after hours to minimise their electricity bills.
“I have received many complaints from the public who wanted to access these venues after their working hours,” she said on Monday (Jan 27).
“This proposal will help the local authorities better manage their costs while keeping such facilities open for longer,” she added.
Yeoh said the idea to install solar panels came after her recent visit to Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in Tanjung Malim, Perak.
“During the visit, I was shown the infrastructure there, and some were powered with solar panels,” she added.
Yeoh was met after a walkabout at Jalan Burung Kasawari in Taman Bukit Maluri, Kuala Lumpur, to oversee the project to upgrade the roof over a basketball court there.
The project started in late 2023 and was completed in November last year at a cost of RM200,000.
It was undertaken by Kuala Lumpur City Hall with funds from the Youth and Sports Ministry.
Separately, Yeoh said her ministry was also working with the Higher Education Ministry to develop sporting facilities at local universities.
The minister said several universities such as UPSI, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Putra Malaysia were identified for this purpose.
This initiative, she added, was aimed at providing university students with better access to recreational and sporting venues.
