Malaysia Stadium Corporation should use own money for grow lights - Khairy

Malaysia Stadium Corporation (PSM) needs to use its own allocation to buy three units of grow light to resolve the turf problem at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, says Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said PSM chairman, Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman had informed him that one unit of the existing light was insufficient to supply light to the grass in the stadium.

"PSM is asking for additional lights but it should use its existing allocation.

"It cannot ask for an additional allocation as the government had disbursed a large sum of money to replace the pitch last year," he told reporters after launching the National Football Development Programme at Commonwealth Hall of the National Sports Council (MSN), Sunday.

He said as an alternative, PSM could use its income derived to buy the lights.

Changing the stadium turf had cost RM1.5 million and the Youth and Sports Ministry had tried two types of grass, cow grass and Bermuda Green Mountain.

Khairy had ordered the National Stadium to be closed following complaints that the pitch in the stadium was unsuitable, forcing a friendly match between Barcelona FC and Malaysia to be moved to Shah Alam Stadium at the last minute.

The issue of turf quality at the National Stadium cropped up again during the Malaysia Cup final between Pahang and Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) last month when the pitch was still found to be in bad shape despite undergoing rehabilitation in October last year.