Process To Change Turf At Perak Stadium To Begin In November - Ipoh Mayor

IPOH, May 31 (Bernama) -- The work to replace the turf at the Perak Stadium - the official home ground of The Bos Gaurus - is expected to commence in November after the first half of the 2024/25 Malaysia League season concludes, says Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin.

He said the project, sponsored by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) with an allocation of RM500,000, was expected to take three to four months.

According to him, the project to replace the turf with Zeon Zoysia grass needed to start in early November to ensure Perak FC could play on the new turf next season.

"God willing, the turf at Stadium Perak will be upgraded from 'Cow Grass' to 'Zeon Zoysia' grass. The replacement work will be carried out alongside upgrading the field's drainage system.

"Once the drainage system upgrade is completed, we will proceed with the Zeon Zoysia grass replacement, replacing the Cow Grass that has been in use since 1997," he said at a press conference after chairing the Ipoh City Council (MBI) meeting for May 2024 at the MBI Meeting Hall here, today.

In January, Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh said her ministry offered RM7 million in grants to improve the quality of fields in stadiums across the country.

A grant of RM500,000 was offered to each state including the Federal Territory for works to upgrade the drainage system at a cost of RM300,000 while another RM200,000 would be spent on planting new grass.

Rumaizi added that the Perak Stadium would be the third stadium in Malaysia to use the Zeon Zoysia type grass besides the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor and Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

"One of the advantages of using Zeon Zoysia grass is that we have the opportunity to host international football tournaments because the turf is world-class," he said.

Meanwhile, State Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah, when asked whether Perak FC matches would be held elsewhere, said that the decision would be made in due course.

"The matter (change of venue for Perak FC matches) would only be decided by Perak FC after discussions with the Malaysian Football League (MFL).

"They will carefully consider it to ensure that a final decision is reached, and that it proceeds smoothly," he said.

-- BERNAMA