IPOH, July 15 — Perak Cycling Association (PCA) took the Sports Ministry to task yesterday for the appalling condition of the Rakyat Velodrome in Ipoh.

PCA president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill said the ministry were informed of the velodrome’s ghastly state last year and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had agreed to take action.

However, nothing has changed and the track is still unusable, as it has been for the last two years.

Amarjit, who is also Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) vice-president, said the matter was brought to Khairy’s attention during last year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

“In October, signboards were erected at the velodrome notifying public of the repair works. They were removed a month later,” said Amarjit.

 “I was told the funds were insufficient, because the damage was worse than expected. The contractors realised this and the project fell through.”

On Monday, National Sports Council director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said the national team might have to train at the velodrome as KL Velodrome in Cheras is expected to make way for a low-cost housing project soon.

Shapawi’s statement only brought more confusion as the RM3.25 million venue was last used in early 2013, after which PCA deemed it too dangerous for “any type of event”.

Checks by Mailsport found the track pockmarked with holes and littered with piles of rotting wood that fell off the track, making even walking across it risky.

Maintenance works, according to Amarjit, are under the Ipoh City Council purview.

“The maintenance needs to be consistent. One small missed repair job could cause the condition to worsen,” he explained.

With proper funding, Amarjit said it would only take two to three months to restore the track as most of the supporting framework underneath was largely intact.

He also floated the possibility of building a roof above the track.

“The velodrome can become one of the nation’s top training facilities.

“It can be repaired for a fraction of the costs incurred by the new indoor velodrome in Nilai. It’s also surrounded by adequate facilities and accommodation for athletes,” he said. 

With his father Tan Sri Darshan Singh Gill — MNCF’s life president — instrumental in its construction in 1989, Amarjit said the velodrome’s condition was disappointing to him on a personal level.

“This was the first facility of its kind in Malaysia. It was built using public funds and donations from private and government agencies.

“Despite its humble beginnings, it hosted national, regional and international competitions such as the SEA Games and the Asian and World Cycling Championships.

“The federal government needs to look at this matter seriously and they should honour their promise,” said Amarjit.