PETALING JAYA, March 2 — It is begging for a new turf as hockey enthusiasts continue to look at the deplorable pitch from the sidelines.
Penang may boast itself of being an economic hub and that it had accumulated budget surpluses for six consecutive years since 2008. Sadly, some sports and its facilities have been widely ignored.
The Football Association of Penang received RM4 million from the state government through the Penang Water Supply Corporation last month. But the same cannot be said about other sports, including hockey.
The Penang State Hockey Association is still waiting for the pitch at the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) sports complex in Bertam, Kepala Batas, to be repaired. Only then, the association can carry out its development programme effectively.
President Datuk Ow Soon Kooi has made numerous requests to get the pitch fixed, including sending letters to the state government and speaking to its representatives including former state youth and sports, women, family and community development and arts committee chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi and present chairman, Chong Eng. But his attempts to speak to the Lim Guan Eng-led government remain futile.
“At one stage, I was told RM1.5 million was allocated for repairs but till today nothing has happened,” said Ow.
The pitch is in no playing condition. Besides the worn out and torn turf, the pitch gets flooded when it rains and covered with mud.
“We have to travel to play or train at the MPSP Kedah Hockey Stadium in the Sultan Abdul Halim Sports Complex in Sungai Petani, every weekend.
“It cost us additional expenses and a lot of time wasted travelling.”
The RM15 million sports complex was built for the 2000 Malaysia Games which was hosted by the state. But it has not been maintained since.
The complex, managed by MPSP, consists of an artificial turf hockey stadium, track and field-cum-football stadium, tennis courts, lawn bowl green and an indoor multi-purpose hall able to host badminton, netball, basketball, sepak takraw and martial arts competitions.
The grandstands for both the hockey and football stadiums can fill 600 and 1,000 spectators respectively.
But due to poor management, the complex — with the exception of the multipurpose hall which is mainly used for wedding receptions — is in dire need of repairs.
Ow, a former international who captained the national team from 1979 to 1982, is passionate about developing the sport in the state. He has three ongoing programmes. One is at Kampung Kovil in Bertam where Ow rented a house which has seen been turned into a gymnasium and a recreational centre for players. It is managed by former international M. Mahendran.
The other two programmes are at Penang Free School, where Ow built an indoor hockey pitch, and at Mutiara Impian Sports School. Some 40 to 50 players train at each centre.
The rental for the hockey stadium at Universiti Sains Malaysia is too expensive and its domestic usage is high, while the turf at the sports school is not only undersized but mainly used for Penang schools’ events and training.
According to MPSP’s website, which was last updated in September 2012, the cost of maintaining the complex is RM100,000 a year and the upgrading cost (one off) was RM6.6 million.
“We are doing our best for the game in the state but if the authorities do not assist to provide facilities and maintain existing venues, it is only going to hamper the development of the game,” said Ow.
“The absence of programmes like these will also lead to social problems as youth will turn to other undesirable activities.
“I hope our call is heard and action is taken to rectify the problem,” said Low. for sports in the state.”
