KOTA BARU: The RM500,000 allocation given by the Youth and Sports Ministry will be used to upgrade the drainage system as well as the grass turf at the Sultan Muhammad IV stadium here.
State Youth, Sports and NGO committee chairperson Zamakhshari Muhamad said the drainage system and the grass at the stadium was affected every time heavy rain hit the state.
"The state government admitted that the stadium will face water drainage problems each time it rains heavily.
"We would like to express gratitude for the RM300,000 donation from Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim for the cost of maintaining the pitch and also thank Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh for the RM500,000 grant to help us improve the drainage system and grass.
"God willing, the state government will find a solution using the allocation to make changes to the stadium and drainage system," he said.
He added the state government would give its best cooperation to the ministry.
"We will work together to raise the level of sports and football in the state in a more prestigious direction," he said.
On Jan 9, Yeoh said the ministry is offering grants totaling RM7 million to all states for the upgrading of drainage systems and the planting of grass in selected stadiums.
She said the grants were intended to improve and enhance the quality of fields, ensuring Malaysia League matches could run smoothly, especially during the rainy season.
She added from the RM7 million offered, each state would receive RM500,000, with RM300,000 for drainage system upgrades and RM200,000 for grass planting.
Yeoh added that the owner of Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club (JDT), Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, had also agreed to contribute RM300,000 to each state to maintain the pitches once they were upgraded.
"Each state needs to choose one stadium, and the project for upgrading the drainage system and pitch must be completed before April this year."
"After all the works have been carried out by the state governments that receive the grant, only then will the offer of an RM300,000 donation from Tunku Ismail be given for maintenance purposes for a year," she said.
At the same time, Yeoh said the selection of grass types other than cowgrass was encouraged.
