JOHOR BARU: The Arena Larkin Aquatic Centre in Larkin will be closed to the public until January next year.
State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said renovation works will be done at the sports facility, including changing the rusty swimming pool floor tiles, during the closure.
He said the move was taken after getting the approval of Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
"The Health Ministry has given a notice of closure until Aug 6 to the centre after 19 secondary school students complained of vomiting, developed fevers, and experienced skin itchiness, likely due to the water in the pools at the centre.
"However, after getting the approval of the Johor State Assembly, the centre will be opened after a cleanliness check by the Chemistry Department and the Health Ministry, as well as the replacement of the anti-corrosion system by Damansara Assets, before it is handed over to the Johor Baru City Council early January next year.
"Even though the water is clean, we don't want to take risks. I don't want us to rush to open this aquatic centre but it ends up posing a risk for young athletes. Therefore, we have a long-term plan. ," he said at a press conference after visiting the centre yesterday.
Mohd Hairi said that among the renovation works that will be carried out is the replacement of the anti-corrosion system as well as the replacement of tiles in both the plunge pool and the swimming pool, in addition to ensuring that the water drainage system is completely clean.
He hopes that public visitors will enjoy comfortable and safe facilities when the centre reopens.
Last Thursday, 19 students out of 900 participants in the 2024 MSSJ Aquatic Championship, were rushed to hospital after experiencing symptoms including vomiting, fever and itching believed to be due to water pollution in the swimming pool and plunge pool.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/1082967/arena-larkin-aquatic-...
Yesterday, Mohd Hairi was quoted as saying that the water sample taken from the aquatic centre was confirmed to contain e-coli bacteria.
He confirmed the matter after receiving the water sample test results from the Chemistry Department.