PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Stadium Corporation (PSM) has issued an apology for the suboptimal state of the Bukit Jalil National Stadium's field ahead of the Malaysia Cup final.
In a statement released on Dec 7, PSM expressed regret over the inadequate condition, citing insufficient time for restoration after the Coldplay concert on Nov 22.
The organization acknowledged the need to enhance its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for future event management at the stadium.
PSM extended apologies not only to the Malaysian Football League (MFL), which oversees the Malaysia Cup but also to the competing finalists, Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) and Terengganu FC, along with their supporters and the broader Malaysian football community.
This statement comes in response to criticism from the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who voiced concerns about the pitch's condition following the Coldplay concert attended by a record-breaking of 75,000 fans last month.
Despite previous assurances from PSM that the pitch would remain unaffected when used for non-football events, the recent incident raised questions about the stadium's ability to uphold this promise.
In October, the newly upgraded pitch experienced torn grass just 45 minutes into the Malaysia-India match at the Merdeka Tournament. Tunku Ismail, who sponsored the Zeon Zoysia grass on the field, emphasized the importance of allowing two to three months for the roots to strengthen before utilizing the pitch.
He expressed a preference for a more extended timeline, but decisions by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and stadium management led to an earlier use of the field, sparking concerns about its condition.
