July D-day for Shah Alam stadium

WORK to level Stadium Shah Alam is expected to start next Monday, after the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) issued the demolition permit.

Shah Alam mayor Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim said the city council issued the demolition permit for the stadium on June 14.

Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim

Selangor government is going ahead with plans to replace the stadium, opened in 1994, with a state-of-the-art facility known as Shah Alam Sports Complex (SASC).

A spokesperson for Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) said physical work to demolish the stadium would start on July 1, with heavy machinery already on site.

The pre-demolition phase, including installation of hoarding and preparation works, has been ongoing since February.

Speaking at the MBSA full board meeting, Mohd Fauzi said development plans for the RM3.28bil SASC were in the final stages.

He said this stage would address issues of flood mitigation and traffic management for the surrounding areas in Section 13, Shah Alam.

Mohd Fauzi said stakeholders, namely MBI, Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB), Prasarana Malaysia Bhd and the city council, held a meeting on June 20 to finalise plans.

The mayor said the plans included constructing a 4.04ha flood mitigation pond near the complex, overseen by Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), to address flood concerns.

“Traffic management strategies include implementing one-way traffic systems and upgrading of roads and intersections to reduce congestion as well as manage increased traffic flow.

“This is before formally submitting the application for the development plans to the council for approval,” he added.

It was reported that the process to demolish the stadium would cost between RM30mil and RM50mil.

In February, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said demolition of the stadium would take six months using conventional methods, without the use of explosives.

The entire SASC project on a 69.53ha area will involve Stadium Shah Alam, Stadium Malawati and the surrounding areas.

In a statement, Amirudin said the pre-demolition phase, which began on Feb 6, would include the installation of hoarding and preparation works and was expected to be completed in three months.