KUALA LUMPUR: Videos of staff of the Bukit Jalil National Stadium using dustpans and brooms to sweep away water from the football pitch before the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifier match between Malaysia and Bahrain last night has invited scorn and ridicule from football fans.
The rain-soaked pitch, which left both teams having to lob the ball as it would become stuck in water otherwise, have left many on social media questioning just what sort of upgrades have actually been done on the national stadium.
Malaysia lost 1-2 to Bahrain.
On Twitter, one user, @skumar176 said he was taken aback at seeing how water-logged the pitch was despite the supposed improvements made.
He said the main objective of the upgrading works was to get the stadium and the quality of the pitch sorted out as it has become unplayable after rainy periods.
"After tonnes of money was spent in upgrading works some time ago, we still have a 'Padang Banjir' at our national stadium," he wrote.
Instagram user Alfayad, meanwhile, was among the spectators who had packed the national stadium last night in anticipation of a fast-flowing game.
He was instead treated to a choppy match.
"The condition of the field was bad as there was stagnant water due to an inefficient drainage system. This prevented the water from flowing properly," he wrote.
A Facebook user, Azri, also lamented how the millions of ringgit spent on upgrading had failed to produce the desired results.
"Football is one of the most popular sports in our country that gets a lot of attention and expenditure. But after millions of ringgit spent on maintenance, our facilities and infrastructure are still in an embarrassing state.
"The question is, where did all those money that was spent go to?" he asked.
An Instagram user, Holydane, said the match looked like it was played on a school field.
"It's really embarrassing. It looked as if the players were having a match on a school field. How are we supposed to win when there is no spirit to play on a pitch like this," he said.
User @dk_derick72 on Twitter believed it is time that the people have a say in how such projects are approved.
"It looks like every project has become exponentially more expensive. I suggest that all projects and procurements by government be evaluated and approved by a committee of the people," he said.
Twitter user @leenarashid pulled no punches in slamming the pitch's condition.
"The field in front of my house is better than our national stadium," she wrote.
Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had in March agreed to sponsor the "Zeon Zoysia" type of grass as well as a better drainage system to the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
The Zeon Zoysia grass is the same type used at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, the home ground of the Johor Darul Ta'zim football team.
The Sultan Ibrahim Stadium's technical team had projected that installing the new pitch would take around four months.
However, it is understood that the Bukit Jalil stadium management had asked for the pitch relaying work to only commence in January 2023 as the stadium has been fully booked for events this whole year.