SDAAA want night lightings installed at Stadium Tun Zaidi

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SIBU: The heavily utilised Stadium Tun Zaidi at Old Airport Road is in dire need of night lighting facilities.

Sibu Division Amateur Athletic Association (SDAAA) president Dr Gregory Hii Sui Cheng said the stadium, the only one in Sibu, was getting too crowded with so many events packed and organised at the time.

He said very often, the stadium committee could not entertain the requests of the organiser to fix certain tournaments due to the clash of time and date.

“Should the installation of the night lighting facilities materialised, it would go a long way to help upgrade sports development not only in Sibu Division but the entire central zone,” he said during the SDAAA annual general meeting here on Thursday night.

Hii was commenting on the installation of the lighting facilities raised during the recent meeting between the Sibu Sports Council and SDAAA officials.

He said some of the events could be spread into the night should the stadium be installed with the lighting facilities.

Citing football, Hii said the sport would be the greatest beneficiary should the lighting facilities be installed.

“With the night lighting facilities, football can be staged in the evening. This will allow the sport to attract more spectators, hence increasing its popularity.”

In other cities, Hii said the stadium was also a popular place to hold night functions, gala gatherings or other events.

“Hopefully, the relevant authorities will look into this matter to upgrade the stadium facilities.”

On another matter, Hii said SDAAA also aimed to acquire a portable electronic timer for the stadium usage within this year.

“We have the necessary finance to buy the portable electronic timer which costs about RM20,000. Hopefully, our plan to buy the portable electronic timer will materialise within this year.”

Should the plan succeed, Stadium Tun Zaidi will be the first stadium in the state to be installed with the portable electronic timer and time taken by the electronic timer will be recognised by the International Olympic Council.

Meanwhile, SDAAA secretary Ting Siew Nguong, promised to look the issues of the ‘missing hurdles’ from the stadium.

He was replying to the queries brought forward by one of the secondary schools sports teacher who complained that their school could not longer stage the hurdles events for their sport meet on May 2 as they could not get the hurdles.

Ting explained that the sports ministry had already written off all the old equipment to be replaced by the new equipment and that was why all the old hurdles were taken away.

“Nevertheless, SDAAA will look into this matter to ensure that the hurdles events can continue to be held during the secondary school sports meets.”