Perak Stadium

Stadium Perak
Full name Stadium Perak
Location Perak, Malaysia
Built 1965[1]
Renovated 1975, 1993
Owner Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh
Operator Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh
Surface Grass
Track
Tenants
Perak FA

Perak Stadium is a stadium located in Kampung Simee in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. It is part of a large complex called the DBI Sports Complex, which houses a majority of sporting facilities used by players representing the state of Perak such as the Velodrome Rakyat (cycling), Indera Mulia Stadium (indoor stadium) and the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium (hockey).

Contents

Profile

Before the stadium was built, the site for the stadium is formerly used as a prison from 1949 to 1959, known as Detention Camp to incarcerate communists during Malayan Emergency period (Darurat in Malay).[2]

The stadium was built in 1997 [3]. It was further renovated in 1999 at a cost of RM 1,949,000 by the Perak state government. It was put under the administration of the Ipoh City Council, which oversees the general upkeep of the stadium until this day.
The capacity of the stadium is 42,500[4] and it boasts a press box and a VIP-area which is normally used by the Sultan of Perak. The stadium features a standard football pitch and an IAAF-certified synthetic running track. The stadium also has monochromatic video matrix scoreboard.

The stadium has two types of seating, which is grandstand seating and normal seating. Only those seating in the grandstand are sheltered from the elements of nature.

The stadium has a notoriously problematic flood light system. There are four flood light towers surrounding the stadium and about 50% fail to light up when it is needed. Poor pitch conditions are also a norm at this stadium and coaches are known to have publicly voiced their discontent over this issue.

Usage

Today, the stadium is not regularly used for events other than football. Events such as military band competitions and school sports days are held at the Perak Stadium sporadically.

The Perak football team, which plays its football in the Malaysian Super League, considers Perak Stadium to be its homeground and their matches are the only times when the stadium experiences capacity crowds. It is a preferred venue for football final matches when the teams involved do not originate near the Klang Valley area such as the 1997 Final (Selangor vs. Pulau Pinang) and 2003 (Negeri Sembilan vs. Perlis). Some parties have criticized the Football Association of Malaysia for failing to move the finals of 2006 Malaysian FA Cup (Pahang vs. Perlis) to this stadium where attendance levels were likely to be higher than the one eventually experienced at Bukit Jalil.

External links

http://www.worldstadiums.com/asia/countries/malaysia.shtml
http://www.mbi.gov.my/web/guest/sukan_rekreasi

References

  1. ^ http://gambar-dimos.blogspot.com/2008/04/stadium-perakipoh.html
  2. ^ http://www.prison.gov.my/portal/page/portal/hijau/berita?fac_next_page=htdocs/berita/ViewBerita.jsp?id=21
  3. ^ World Stadiums entry on Stadium Perak
  4. ^ [1]