KUALA LUMPUR: Tunku Mahkota of Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has criticised the football fields owned by teams competing in the Malaysian League (M-League), stating that they lag far behind those of regional teams.
He said this issue becomes apparent during heavy rain when matches are held, as the fields are susceptible to waterlogging, primarily due to most M-League teams still utilising Cow Grass fields.
"It's not just the National Stadium Bukit Jalil (NSBJ). All stadiums in the country are the same. The fields become muddy when it rains. The only field that doesn't is the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI) in Johor. That is a fact. Cow Grass contains clay mixed with peat soil.
"That makes it difficult for water to seep through. We are also the only country in Southeast Asia still proud of cowgrass," he said in an Instagram Story post.
TMJ, who is also the Johor Darul Ta'zim team owner, added that it's not only the subpar fields but also the provision of facilities and infrastructure for M-League teams.
"The football facilities and infrastructure (in Malaysia) are terrible. Arrogant, complacent mentality, quick to be satisfied, comfortable, unable to accept facts, and always having excuses that undermine the standard of our league.
"Thailand is ahead of us. Indonesia is ahead of us regarding infrastructure, and if our mentality doesn't change. National leagues like Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cambodia will surpass us in terms of football infrastructure, which plays a crucial role in producing the quality and standard of the league. 'Good Luck'."
In the post, he also mentioned the Malaysian Football League (MFL) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), sending a clear message for the authorities to take note and be ready to change for the better.
He shared a picture on his Instagram story showing the difference between the field at NSBJ and the Rajamangala National Stadium in Thailand, with the field in the neighbouring country looking better and unaffected by the rain.