Bukit Jalil beyond reach of sport

25/02/1999

IF you have no plans for the weekend, grab your camera and head for Bukit
Jalil because a herd of white elephants have been sighted there.
Basking majestically in the sun, the National Sports Complex which
houses state-of-the-art squash courts, world-class swimming pools, the
best running track and a multi-purpose hall have been hardly utilised for
local sport after the September Commonwealth Games.
During the recent school holidays, busloads of students and others
trundled around the complex, impressed with the beauty and size of the
stadia - the pride of the nation for 11 fun-filled days in September.
Built with the aim of hosting the best Commonwealth Games ever, and for
future development of athletes, the complex today serves primarily as a
tourist attraction and a place where families in the city go for their
evening walks.
Far from being a centre to help nurture athletes, the complex has been
priced beyond the rentable reach of sports associations.
Hockey, for one, found out to their deficit - they were slapped with a
RM41,000 bill for organising the 10-day Razak Cup last year.
And now the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have been lambasted by
their State affiliates because they decided not to hold the Under-21
championship at the National Hockey Stadium for obvious reasons.
"When we approached the Stadium Board and asked for a reduced rate for
the local tournament, we were surprised," said an MHF official, who
declined to be named.
"Not only were we quoted an astronomical RM5,000 per day, but when we
went through the breakdown, we found they also included charges for the
secretariat, VIP grandstand arrangements and labour charges.
"If the MHF can't afford to host local tournaments at the National
Hockey Stadium, who can?"
The last major tournament organised at the National Hockey Stadium was
the Commonwealth Games and before that it was the World Cup qualifiers.
So, except for national trainings for which the tab is picked up by the
National Sports Council, the two pitches have been left to the vagaries of
the weather.
Almost all associations have requested for reduced rates for national
assignments but as the Sports Minister said when approached on the issue:
"There is no such thing as a free lunch. You use, you pay ....."
Very sound business advice. But the Minister needs to be reminded that
if nobody uses the facilities, nobody pays for the upkeep.
The Stadium Board spend RM1.2 million a month to maintain the complex in
Bukit Jalil and the netball and lawn bowls stadium in Bukit Kiara. This is
minus salaries, water and electricity bills.
So to keep the till ringing, they have decided to utilise the complex
for a myriad of activities from bringing down Bollywood stars, having a
martial arts show featuring Chuck Norris and several Hollywood stars, and
having a Disney on Ice show and go-kart competitions.
Sports has taken a back seat because they do not bring in the money. The
Stadium Board's idea to alter the perception that the complex is only for
sports to bring in more revenue, although laudable, is detrimental to
grassroot development in the long run.
MHF do not have it in their budget to pay RM40,000 to organise the
Under-21 at the National Hockey Stadium. Ipoh have been given the task to
host it.
"Why should we pay so much for pitch charges when we can easily book
pitches in Ipoh, Seremban and Klang for nominal fees? The Ipoh City Hall
have been very understanding in the past and always ask for a nominal sum
for local tournaments, so we will hold the Under-21 in Ipoh this year.
"We have decided that only international tournaments like the Azlan Shah
Cup will be hosted at the National Hockey Stadium because we can make some
money by selling tickets, otherwise only national trainings which would
cost us about RM5,000 to RM7,000 for a few weeks will be held at Bukit
Jalil."
MHF are bidding to host the 2002 World Cup, which Malaysia last hosted
in 1975 on a grass pitch, and if we beat Spain and Belgium's bid, it will
be the next big assignment for the National Hockey Stadium.
Until then, tourists rule.
(END)