PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has barred four stadiums from playing night matches after failing to meet the brightness level.
The four are Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM ) Stadium (Shah Alam), Hang Jebat Stadium (Melaka), City Stadium (Penang) and Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium.
“We conducted a preliminary examination of almost all stadiums and found that the four stadiums failed to meet the standards.
“I understand that improvements are being done so that they can play night matches,” Local Competitions Committee chairman Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah said after chairing the committee meeting at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, here yesterday.
Based on FAM rules, stadiums that want to play night matches should have floodlights with brightness of at least 1,000 lux.
On stadium sharing, Afandi, who is also FAM vice-president said it is working to ensure that each teams have their own stadiums. This is in line with the privatisation of the Malaysian League into a professional league by 2015.
The Malaysian League 2014 season will kick off on Jan 17 with the Sultan Ahmad Shah Cup match between Pahang and Lions XII at Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan.
The match between the Malaysia Cup champions and the Super League champions is counted as the first match of the new football season. Ten other teams will only see action the next day.
The Premier League season will start on Jan 24 involving 13 teams. — Bernama