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SHAH ALAM – The Selangor government will only consider redeveloping the Shah Alam Stadium if the cost is equivalent to the current repair bill of RM787 million.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the decision, however, takes into account several factors regarding the stadium’s development.
He added that the state is considering rebuilding the stadium, citing that the maintenance cost has more than doubled from the original price tag of RM350 million in 2013.
“Based on the Public Works Department assessment in 2013, the maintenance cost was around RM350 million, but after we reassessed it today, and based on the current price and the latest damage at the Shah Alam Sports Complex, the cost has almost doubled to RM787 million, including Malawati Stadium and Mini Stadium.
“For that reason, we are considering that if the cost of upgrading or rebuilding is lower or equal to RM787 million, it is better that we build a new stadium and maintain both components (Malawati Stadium and Mini Stadium) for the use of sports development in Selangor.”
He was responding to a question from opposition leader Datuk Rizam Ismail who asked about the capacity and extent of the maintenance of the Shah Alam Stadium at the state assembly sitting today.
The state government claimed it spent about RM64 million from when Pakatan Harapan took over Selangor in 2008 as Pakatan Rakyat until 2020 on repairing and upgrading the Shah Alam Stadium and several other components at the sports complex.
Based on that amount, RM5 million to RM6 million was spent every year until 2018 for that purpose when its management was taken over by the Shah Alam City Council and Darul Ehsan Facilities Management Sdn Bhd.
From 2015 to 2017, RM11.745 million was spent to upgrade toilet facilities, VIP and VVIP corporate rooms, install closed circuit cameras, and repair the stadium roof and field floodlights.
Another RM2.22 million to RM5 million was spent on renovating some facilities, including painting the stadium fence, cleaning beams, and upgrading toilets and roofs.
The expenditure was based on the timely need to ensure that the stadium is in good condition and able to carry out several activities, including concerts and football matches.
“A total of RM5.22 million has also been spent on periodic maintenance such as external cleaning in the stadium, security services, maintenance of elevators, pitches, and electrical and civil works during the period involved,” he said in the state assembly today.
The Sg Tua assemblyman also claimed that the state government spent about RM600,000 to replace the polycarbonate roof and other affected areas as a whole before Malaysia hosted the 2017 SEA Games.
In the meantime, Amirudin added that through the letter of intent, construction and engineering firm Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd has six months from now to submit a detailed proposal for the Shah Alam Stadium to the state government.
It is expected to include several options for redevelopment, refurbishment, as well as the construction of a completely new facility.
The plan would also need to include the approval of the development order and the development plan to start the process of upgrading or redeveloping the stadium. – The Vibes, July 26, 2022
