KUALA LUMPUR - His Royal Highness Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, Regent of Johor, has agreed to donate hybrid grass for the Bukit Jalil National Stadium’s pitch.
The development was shared on the official Johor Southern Tigers Facebook page, and that the Regent made the decision following a meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor John today.
"The post-mortem conducted on the Bukit Jalil National Stadium pitch has highlighted that a hybrid pitch will better serve the demands of a multi-purpose stadium as its durability and flexibility caters for both sporting and non-sporting events.
"In view of this and the successful research being conducted by Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (JDT) at Larkin, His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail, the Regent of Johor agreed to donate the hybrid pitch currently being grown at the Tan Sri Dato' Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium to the National Stadium,” the post read.
The current pitch of Zeon Zoysia grass, donated by Tunku Ismail previously, will be rolled out and installed at the National Sports Council field at KL Sports City.
This is the second donation of grass Tunku Ismail, who is also the owner of JDT, has made, following the first donation of Zeon Zoysia to replace the Cow Grass pitch at National Stadium.
The Zeon Zoysia grass pitch failed to live up to expectations after a concert was held, along with the 2023 Malaysia Cup final and several other national team fixtures at the stadium, leading the Youth and Sports Ministry to issue a short-term moratorium banning any installation of stage structures for concerts on the pitch until grass conditions reached satisfactory levels. - BERNAMA