No request yet from FAM to use Shah Alam Stadium for M'sia Cup Final

The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) so far has not received any request from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to use the Shah Alam Stadium for the Malaysia Cup final on Nov 3. Shah Alam mayor, Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan, however, said MBSA was willing to fulfil such a request from the national football governing body to ensure the match could be held on that date as scheduled. "We (MBSA) must be prepared to hold it as the stadium would also be used for the Selangor Sultan's Cup this Sept 28, besides a number of Malaysia Cup matches involving the Selangor team," he told reporters after his visit to the Shah Alam Stadium, here, today. Mohd Jaafar said the 20-year-old Shah Alam Stadium required regular maintenance to cater to the packed football match schedule. "If possible, we ask that the schedule not be too packed so that the stadium can be well maintained," he said. He also said that MBSA was willing to share expertise on maintaining stadium grass with the Malaysia Stadium Corporation in managing the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, considering that both stadiums were using the same type of grass, Seashore Paspalum. "If our assistance is sought, we (MBSA) is willing to assist...InsyaAllah (God willing), if my boss (Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim) says we should help, we are prepared to do so any time," he added. The FAM recently decided to hold the coming Malaysia Cup final at the Shah Alam Stadium instead of the National Stadium as originally planned due to the poor quality of its field which does not meet international standard. The deplorable condition of the National Stadium field also resulted in the Spanish football giants, Barcelona FC, requesting their international friendly against the Harimau Malaya squad recently be held at another stadium. The organisers chose to shift the match to the Shah Alam Stadium. The embarrassing situation drew the attention of Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who asked the National Stadium be closed for six months for returfing of its football field.