Selangor Govt To Pay Shah Alam Stadium's RM787 Mil Refurbishing Cost With A Plot Of Land
It will cost almost double to refurbish the Shah Alam Stadium, which cost RM400 million to build back in 1994.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 18 Jul 2022, 11:00 AM
After weeks of a nationwide discussion about whether to refurbish or demolish the poor state of the Shah Alam Stadium, the Selangor government has decided to revitalise it
According to Free Malaysia Today, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the state government has appointed Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) to refurbish the 28-year-old stadium and its surrounding sporting facilities for RM787 million.
MRCB was chosen for the mega refurbishing project after the state administration screened 15 other firms. A letter of intent has been issued to the renowned construction company.
"MRCB was selected for its technical ability and financial standing. In fact, the company was involved in the restoration of the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in 2017," he was quoted as saying.
However, to pay for the colossal refurbishing bill, MRCB will fund the cost on its own in return for a plot of land for development
In 2015, the Bukit Jalil National Stadium underwent a RM1.6 billion restoration project, in which MRCB was also rewarded with a plot of land as compensation for the job, reported EdgeProp.
The Shah Alam project will be carried out through a private-public partnership and the refurbishing work will start early next year for completion by 2026.
Amirudin said fans can expect the refurbished stadium to be comparable to Liverpool's Anfield, adding that it will get inspiration from the Ajax Amsterdam Stadium, reported theSundaily.
The new stadium will be able to seat 60,000 to 70,000 spectators.
The poor state of the Shah Alam Stadium has rendered it unsafe for training and events.
Image via Faiz Anuar/Berita Harian
The Shah Alam Stadium was once the country's largest stadium when it opened to the public in 1994 before the Bukit Jalil stadium was completed in time for the 1998 Commonwealth Games
It could house 83,000 spectators, but the stadium now has major structural defects with a poor pitch, a leaking roof, and rotting structures, rendering it unsafe, reported New Straits Times.
It is understood that the stadium fell into disrepair after it was damaged by floods last year, as well as in 2005 and 2015.
Last week, Amirudin said that the stadium cost RM400 million to build in 1994 and it will now cost almost double that to refurbish it.
"Personally, I prefer to redevelop it as the cost will not be too high. The cost to repair (the stadium) amounts to RM787 million, compared with its original development cost of RM400 million," The Edge Markets quoted him as saying.
The conundrum of whether to refurbish or demolish the Shah Alam Stadium has been an issue for quite some time now.
In an interview with The Star last year, Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah lamented the stadium's sorry state, saying that its reconstruction must be in tandem with a planned LRT station adjacent to it.
Meanwhile, the Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah, asked if the stadium could be demolished and rebuilt exclusively as a football stadium.
"I have no objections to the stadium being demolished for it to be better, but the name must be maintained," he said.
Many Malaysians were upset at the possibility of the demolition of the stadium as it was once the concert venue for international acts such as Maroon 5, Deep Purple, and Bon Jovi.
It was also a field for many international football matches, including the match between Brazil's Flamengo and Germany's Bayern Munich.
