KUALA LUMPUR: The hosting of a concert by leading rock band from the United Kingdom, Muse, at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium (SNBJ) this Saturday (July 29) will not affect the replacement process of the pitch with Zeon Zeoysia grass, which is currently underway.

Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia (PSM) Chief Executive Officer Mohd Faidz Sanusi said so far the new grass has not been planted while the surface of the SNBJ pitch which is covered in sand will be protected with a 'pitch cover' throughout the concert titled Will of The People World Tour 2023.

"It is not affected (the grass replacement process), there is no more grass, only the drainage system has been settled.

"After the end of the Muse concert, the contractor will start planting new grass from Aug 1 and it will take two weeks," he said at the Kuala Lumpur Sports City (KLSC) 25th anniversary celebration press conference here last night.

Muse, which became popular through the songs Time Is Running Out, Supermassive Black Hole and Starlight, rocked Stadium Negara through their debut concert in Malaysia in 2007.

In the meantime, Mohd Faidz expects the grass replacement process to be fully ready by the end of September and the pitch will then be used for the Pestabola Merdeka tournament this October.

Besides the Harimau Malaya (Malaysia's national team), the Pestabola Merdeka, which is being organised again after a 10-year hiatus, will involve India, Palestine and Lebanon as the main challengers to the Kim Pan Gon-led squad.

At the same time, Mohd Faidz said the construction of the nursery next to the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium had also reached a progress level of more than 50 percent.

"Before, if the pitch was damaged we would fix it near the stadium ourselves, but after this we can remove the damaged patch and replace it with a new one from the nursery," he said.

Meanwhile, PSM chairman Datuk Hans Isaac is leaving it to the contractor to determine the appropriate time for the pitch to be ready for use after the grass replacement process has been successfully done.

The planting of Zeon Zoysia grass since last April to replace the existing Cow Grass, is deemed more suitable for the weather and climate in this country. The pitch replacement is estimated to cost up to RM1.4 million and is sponsored by Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim

SNBJ previously used Bermuda Greenless Park grass from 1998-2005, Marimo Seashore Paspalum with Zoysia Material (2005-2013), and Bermuda Mountain Green with Princess (2013-2015).

-- BERNAMA