IPOH: Upgrading works at the Perak Stadium are expected to be completed by January, says state housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng.
However, she noted that it could take up to six more months before the venue can host events again, as the replaced pitch needs to mature.
The stadium was closed for upgrading works from June, following poor field conditions caused by rain that even led to some matches being cancelled.
"With funding from the Youth and Sports Ministry and the Ipoh City Council (MBI), we started the RM842,000 upgrading project," she told reporters after the Ipoh Local Plan 2035 draft publicity and public participation programme here on Friday (Oct 3).
She said the upgrading works include replacing the existing cow grass with the Axonopus Putra variant, which is more suited for football play, given Malaysia’s weather, as it prevents water ponding issues.
However, she noted that the new grass would still need an additional three to six months to mature before the stadium could be reopened.
The upgrades also involve the stadium's drainage system.
"Overall, the entire process will take about a year (until June 2026) before the stadium is fully ready for use," she said, adding that the project is progressing on schedule.
On a separate matter, Ng said the abandoned D’Aman Residence housing project is now close to completion.
"Work progress is 99.2% complete, with only inspections, repairs and the handover of the substation to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) remaining," she said.
She added that the developer is aiming to complete the project by December.
