The sports ground in Kapit needs to be closed for nine months to facilitate upgrading works. However, many townsfolk see the period as being ‘too long’, given that the stadium is the only sports facility that they in the whole of the district.
KAPIT: Local sports enthusiasts are very unhappy about the temporary closure of the sports ground at Jalan Sukan–Jalan Airport here, which they think the period is ‘too long’
It is reported that the closure from March 8 to Dec 8 this way is necessary for the contractor to conduct repair and upgrading works on the running tracks and other facilities there.
It is also observed that the notice on the stadium’s gates mentions that the closure is the directive from the Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry of Sarawak.
One of the townsfolk has expressed his hope for the contractor to speed up the works, seeing that this is the only sports facility of its kind available in this district.
“The period is too long. This is the only sports stadium in the whole of Kapit District where many locals, after office hours, come and play games like football. The students also use this ground for their athletics training, while others do their walking, jogging and running activities.
The stadium was built in the 1980s and signs of deterioration have emerged over the years. The surface of the tracks was deemed ‘in dire need of repairs’ after the stadium hosted the Jiwa Murni programme in April 2016.
“The schools here have been using the stadium daily as the venue of their sports and other co-curricular activities – so are the adults, who come here to walk, jog or run.
“Now, they have no place to do these things. Many are seen jogging along Jalan Airport, Jalan Hill Top and even some turn to the area at Phase II of Bletih Industrial Estate – these are really unsafe as there are many heavy vehicles plying the roads,” said the local, requesting anonymity.