GEORGE TOWN: THE Penang State Hockey Association (PSHA) is furious that it has to conduct activities in another state.
PSHA is unable to hold competitions, including its league, as teams have to travel to play at the MPSP Kedah Hockey Stadium in the Sultan Abdul Halim Sports Complex in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
There are three artificial turfs in Penang — at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Minden, MPSP sports complex in Bertam, Kepala Batas and Mutiara Impian Sports School in Simpang Ampat in Seberang Perai Tengah.
The hockey stadium at USM is too expensive, its domestic usage is high, while the turf at the sports school is not only under sized but it is mainly used for Penang schools’ events and training.
The artificial turf hockey stadium in Kepala Batas is in a deplorable condition.
Attempts to get the Seberang Perai Municipal Council to replace the turf and carry out minor renovation work has not been heeded since 2005.
Attempts to get the state youth and sports executive councillor and the state government to attend to the complex have also fallen on deaf ears.
Repeated calls and appeals to revive the MPSP sports complex in Kepala Batas have not been heeded.
A frustrated hockey official lamented that the state wants PSHA to produce gold at the Malaysia Games but when it comes to providing the necessary infrastructure or just to maintain the present one, seems to be difficult.
The MPSP Sports Complex was built for the 2000 Penang Malaysia Games.
The complex in Kepala Batas consists of an artificial turf hockey stadium with a grandstand, track and field-cum-football stadium complete with a grandstand, tennis courts, an artificial lawn bowl pitch, an indoor multi purpose hall where badminton, netball, basketball, sepak takraw and martial arts competitions can be held.
Sadly, due to poor management and zero maintenance, the whole complex, except for the multipurpose hall — which is mainly used for wedding receptions — are crying for refurbishment.
PSHA president Datuk Ow Soon Kooi said the association works on a very tight budget and with the travelling costs, it will burn a big hole in their budget.
“Due to the sad state of affairs in getting an artificial turf for hockey, we are tight pressed to carry out grassroots development programmes.
“Twice a week, we have to travel to Sungai Petani, so just imagine our expenses, and moreover, we are also facing problems getting the players to go so far just for training,” he said.
Ow, a former national skipper, said they had met the state youth and sports, women, family and community development committee chairman and presented a working paper on the Kepala Batas hockey stadium, but there had been no response.
Ow said PSHA was prepared to do its part for the Bertam hockey stadium but asked for the state government to provide much needed help to ensure that hockey grows at the grassroots.