Football Fans Take Patches Of Grass Home As Keepsakes From Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Fans were able to take the grass home ahead of the stadium's turf change.
By Khadijah Amir — 03 Apr 2023, 04:34 PM
Malaysian football fans had the rare opportunity to bring back a patch of grass from the beloved Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Friday, 31 March, ahead of the pitch's scheduled turf change
In a report by Bernama, the Malaysian Stadium Corporation (PSM) announced that patches of cow grass from the football pitch were open to public to take home, free of charge.
The decision was made ahead of the pitch's turf change from cow grass to a different variety of grass, called zeon zoysia.
The turf change was scheduled to begin on Saturday, 1 April, prompting fans to rush down to the stadium to catch this golden opportunity. Each patch of grass measured one sq ft, and fans were seen shovelling patches upon patches onto trolleys and wheelbarrows.
Loyal football fans viewed the grass as a priceless memento, saying that it was the grass the national football squad, Harimau Malaya, have been playing on since 2015. It would thus be an honour to have the same grass on their own football fields and backyards back home.
Others saw the opportunity as a cost-efficient and generous move by PSM, as the cost of one sq ft of grass ranges between RM4 to RM5.
Zeon zoysia is considered a world-class variety of grass, used in the stadium that hosted the 2016 Rio Olympics, and various stadiums across Southeast Asia
The zeon zoysia grass is softer, finer, and grows faster compared to other grass varieties. Its extensive root system allows it to thrive in harsh weather and recover quickly from drought. They do not require much fertiliser (needing less than 1kg of nitrogen fertiliser a year) and have a high shade tolerance.
The variant is also said to be more comfortable and safer for rigorous use, and is tolerant against pests and any plant disease.
Currently, the only stadium in Malaysia with a zeon zoysia turf is the Sultan Ismail Stadium in Johor.
Other states across the country that have shown interest in converting their state fields to zeon zoysia are Kedah and Perak, as reported by Astro Awani.
According to Harian Metro, Negeri Sembilan asked to postpone the turf change to zeon zoysia on the Tunku Abdul Rahman Stadium pitch, as further discussion within the management is needed over the suitability of the variant on the pitch.
The stances of the other states regarding the matter is unclear.
