It's that time of the year again when all schools are busy with the district sports calendar. This week in Kuala Langat, athletics take center stage. What caught my eye was the deplorable condition of the Jugra stadium. The stadium was built in 1984 and as in many cases, Malaysian apathy reared its ugly head again. We have some good facilities but 'poor' maintenance culture and indifferent attitudes have seen these facilities gone to waste.Every year the stadium is brought to life by the MSSD calendar as it is probably the only major athletic event held there other than the many neighbouring school sports .
The facilities and apparatus are refurbished and upgraded to a workable standard by teachers whose schools have been appointed as the technical committee. If not for the MSSD calendar, the stadium remains a sleeping giant awaiting a cruel death.I wonder who is really in charge of the upkeep of the stadium. Is it the Town Council (MDKL), Public Works Department(JKR) , or the district office? What is the local sports council doing? What about all the hype on Rakan Muda and all the rhetoric about improving facilities and uplifting the standard of sports. Where are the politicians who are so loud? It was the same with previous state government and things haven't changed under the present one. Lots of lip service but where is the action?
Local sports personalities like Mr Jacob Mathews, have been working tirelessly to get the relevant authorities to do something but seems like all our efforts are in vain. Now we just sit and reminiscence about past glories and hope someone or something will change the fortunes of this sleeping giant. Please don't let it die. We the children of Kuala Langat need it .
Teachers from SK Kebun Baharu, lining the track.
The Senior Assistant in charge of Co-curricular activities (GPK K0-Ko) Pn Siti Hajar Mohd Ali, personally supervising the teachers.
Line by line until they ran out of paint and the PPD ran out of resources. Mr Jacob Mathews came to their rescue. he contacted the Council secretary who then provided another 10 cans.
The best they could do
Antique equipment
Modified equipment(notice the nails in place of bolts)
Faulty equipment
This is not our idea of how to get a tan
The landing pit.
Turtle sanctuary
Take off board
Water jump
The discuss cage.
Notice the wire fence that has seen its' day.
Notice the wire fence that has seen its' day.
The Javelin Runway
The High Jump Apparatus and Landing area(Borrowed from Schools)
The neglected floodlight service gondola
The rusty goal
The sandy and eroded track
This is where the obstacle race starts, complete with potholes.
Not really a walk in the beach for these athletes.
Blisters and peeling skin is in fashion?
The track is not only the arena to measure speed and endurance but also to test hardiness and resilience to torture.
It would be probably more suitable for drift racing.
Would you let your children run here? Be prepared to face common injuries like Achilles heel, stress fractures, cuts and bruises, knee, ankle and spine injuries. There is no saying what else may happen if they fall on this unforgiving 'tarmac'. The surface is hard and rough, and under the afternoon sun, you could probably fry eggs here.
The track is not only the arena to measure speed and endurance but also to test hardiness and resilience to torture.
It would be probably more suitable for drift racing.
Would you let your children run here? Be prepared to face common injuries like Achilles heel, stress fractures, cuts and bruises, knee, ankle and spine injuries. There is no saying what else may happen if they fall on this unforgiving 'tarmac'. The surface is hard and rough, and under the afternoon sun, you could probably fry eggs here.
Clogged drains.Somebody started a mosquito breeding farm here.
Broken concrete surfaces and drains .
Collapsed fences and more clogged drains
The store
The rundown ticket booth and uncollected rubbish from an earlier function.
The shower and sink in the dressing room.
Behind the terraces
The Competitors Stewards Tent
And they still came in droves.The competitors and their supporters
some even armed with their own tents to shade them from the scorching heat
The Task Squad of SK Kebun Baru (Technical Committee).
The Referees for Track & field eventsArunaslam and Gunaseelan
and Chief judge for jumping events
Zulkifli Moon
Mr Ravichandran TopekanChief Umpire
Bridge of Communication
Mr Jacob MathewsThe living encyclopedia of athletics in Kuala Langat
Retired Teacher, coach, sports administrator, social worker,
church goer,
friend.
Yours trulyLearning the ropes from Mr Jacob
19 comments:
Assalamualaikum cikgu Naim,
Saya sangat tertarik dengan artikel "A Dying Giant" yang cikgu tulis. Selaku salah seorang bapa yang anaknya terlibat dalam Kejohanan Olahraga MSSD Kuala Langat yang berlangsung di Stadium Jugra dari 2 hingga 5 Mac, saya sangat bersetuju dengan apa yang cikgu nyatakan dalam blog cikgu. Saya juga ingin mengucapkan terima kasih atas paparan bergambar yang cikgu muatkan dalam blog. Gambar-gambar keuzuran dan kedaifan kemudahan yang terdapat di Stadium Jugra menceritakan apa yang sebenarnya dideritai oleh Stadium Jugra yang sangat uzur tanpa pembaikan dan penjagaan oleh pihak-pihak yang sepatutnya bertanggung jawab terhadap Stadium ini.
Saya berharap paparan keuzuran Stadium Jugra ini akan membuka mata dan hati mereka yang bertanggung jawab terhadap kemudahan yang terdapat di stadium ini. Saya sangat bimbang anak saya tercedera apabila mengambil bahagian dalam beberapa acara olahraga di stadium ini.Saya juga merasakan ibu bapa pelajar lain yang anak mereka mengambil bahagian dalam kejohanan ini juga turut merasa bimbang dengan keselamatan anak meraka. Sekian
Bapa Prihatin
Terima kasih kerana singgah.Saya harap ramai lagi ahli masyrakat akan menyuarakan isi hati mereka. Tak perlu piket atau demonstrasi.Gunalah saluran yang aman.
What a sorry state of affair Naim and kudos to you for highlighting it. I hope someone is reading. A sheer waste of resources and tax payer's money that! But am curious about something. If surounding schools have been using the stadium every year, how come no action taken? The authorities have not been alerted? The stadium is not safe. Are we waiting for an incident to happen before someone steps in? Maybe you should send the picts to the papers?
Dear Rahmah
Like I said. it has been highlighted and drawn to the attention of several parties before,sadly, nothing transpired
Salam sayang buat saudaraku Naim,
Hebat juga 'air tangan' bro ye! boleh nangis Karam Singh..he2
Macam yang kita pernah berbual satu ketika dulu berkenaan stadium yang terdapat di Malaysia dan berkaitan persiapan pasukan ke Liga Malaysia dan mutu permainan.
1. stadium kita cuma kelihatan cantik dan berselera untuk digunakan hanya pada hari perasmian dan beberapa bulan selepas penggunaan pertama. Bila tiba masa penyelenggaraan 'pejam mata'..
2. Pasukan dalam liga kita kebanyakannya cuma 'ambil berat' kepada persiapan team tetapi satu lagi team, padang dan kemudahan di lupakan..
3. Alasan tiada penyelenggaraan kerana tiadak peruntukkan. Bila tiada penyelenggaraan kita pun kenalah terima tahap kemudahan dan keupayaan yang paling minima.
4. Seperti peserta 'cilik' dalam paparan Naim, mereka juga perlu bersiaga menerima kelemahan ini sedangkan mereka mampu memberi yang terbaik dan lebih lagi jika kemudahan yang disediakan berada pada tahap yang terbaik.
5. Mana mungkin beraksi dan pada masa yang sama 'ter'fikir untuk elakkan diri daripada 'ter'cedera.
6. Pasti keputusan lebih baik jika peserta 'cilik' ini dapat beraksi tanpa rintangan yang kita secara tidak sengaja 'ter'sediakan.
7. Macam tulah juga lebih kurangnye mutu permainan bolasepak kita..perhatikanlah kualiti padang permainan di negara kita.
Apapun Naim anda melahirkan blog yang sangat positif..pasti Rizal juga berbangga dengan anda.
subkhiddin MOHD SALLEH
My brother Subkhidin
Ini merupakan satu fenomena yang pelik di Malaysia. Kita lihat macam-macam kemudahan di sediakan di mana-mana jabatan, institiusi, atau tempat awam TETAPI.... maintenance nya haprak!
Baru-baru ini saya ke Putrajaya. keindahan yang kita ketahui telah dicemari kerosakan di sana-sini. kenapa cepat rosak? Quality of material or workmanship? Or is it maintenance yang kurang.
Sometimes I think it is the vicious cycle of this saying:
"First class facility but Third class mentality."
Walau apapun dan seberapa canggih sesuatu disediakan tetapi kalau sikap pengguna dan penjaga tetap tidak bertanggungjawab,,, punahlah jawabnya.
Cikgu besar,
Sekali tengok macam stadium Kajang. Rekabentuk dan track warna hitam hampir sama. Cuma kat kajang, dia orang tampal dengan simen dan tar. Kalau lari pakai spike, sah patah paku spike.
Masalah ini pihak berkuasa tempatan perlu ambil perhatian. Stadium dibina untuk kemudahan rakyat dan ianya dibina menggunakan wang kita sebagai pembayar cukai.
Pihak PBT perlu mempastikan petugas stadium menjalankan tugas dengan betul. Jika semuanya bertanggung jawab, saya rasa masalah seperti yang cikgu besar katakan tidak akan timbul.
Cikgu naim,
Saya sangat berasa simpati dan kasihan dengan anak-anak yang terpaksa berlari berkaki ayam di trek Stadium Jugra yang keras, kasar dan panas di waktu tengah hari hingga ke petang.
Saya faham tidak semua ibu bapa atau pihak sekolah rendah khasnya mempu membelikan kasut spike berpaku tu. Guru bertugas hanya mampu siram air di tempat pelajar berdiri di garisan permulaan saja..tak mampu nak siram air keliling stadium... tak percaya lihat gambar yang cikgu naim sertakan. Dah sah kulit kaki pelajar pasti terluka. Jika jatuh pula masa berlari...pasti pula lutut anak-anak kecil ini akan terluka. Anak-anak di sekolah rendah ni memang bersemangat nak berlari sebab mereka bangga terpilih mewakili sekolah.
Dengan rasa sedih dan simpati kepada anak-anak ini, saya merayu kepada pihak yang bertanggung jawab kepada penjagaan dan pemulihan Stadium Jugra baikilah kemudahan stadiun ini, pastikan anak-anak kita tidak cedera apabila berlari....
1) Tengok sahaja sudah merasa pedih kaki.. belum lagi berlari seperti atlit-atlit tersebut... Apakah harapan kepada generasi baru ini sebenarnya... apabila segalanya dari pintu pagar sehinggalah tandas; melihatkannya sangat mengecewakan dan hampir sama taraf dengan stor yang terbiar; cuma, bayangkan ini adalah stor yang terbuka.
2) Kesian dan simpati saya bukan sahaja kepada atlit; bahkan juga kepada cikgu-cikgunya, yang juga pegawai kejohanan... Sangat memalukan apabila segala kerja-kerja seperti kejohanan sukan peringkat sekolah juga TERPAKSA dilakukan pada peringkat daerah. Negeri Sarawak; yang katanya agak ketinggalan itu, pastinya sangat berbangga dengan kejohanan sukan di stadium mereka. Tahniah cikgu-cikgu...
3) Saya tidak percaya pihak2 berkenaan tidak tahu perkara ini. Mungkin desakan politik (potical will) daripada pihak2 berkepentingan atau campur tangan media akan memberikan kesan yang lebih efektif. Apapun, artikel sebegini adalah permulaan baik bagi mendesak adanya pembaharuan di stadium Jugra yang penuh bersejarah ini.
1st of all...
the students should ware shoes..
that is important..
even with a new "RED" track.. still the teaches or anybody la.. should ask the athletes to ware shoes..
no complains.. there is no such thing like running bare footed is faster.. nothing is improved accept your number of wounds on your body.. hehe..
ok.. now.. lets get to the stadium.. yup.. this crazy teacher with hairy lips is right!! in fact! the giant is dead already.. sum1 please give mouth to mouth to the giant la... ayyooooo...
help the poor giant and all the people it ate before.. don't let anymore innocent people get eaten la..
some more ar.. the track is very2.. what's the word ar?? umm? very........ ayaa.. what ar?? can die one la if run there.. hehe..
not enough with that.. atleast r.. the paint job all the "MDKL" or anybody incharge la.. should take care of it la.. ini x.. all wash out or faded under the sun..
sapa mau tolong ??? mau harap cikgu2 kaa?? cikgu2 mau cat sama itu garis semua kaa?? mau maki sama ini majlis daerah la.. ayoo.. xlak ckup cikgu pnya keleja di skolah ar?? mau cat sama itu galis2 sama itu barang2 semua?? aya..
apa mcm bikin la.. kalu lu mau bayar r.. ok maa...
ayooo... bikin la ini stadium r.. hehe.. nnty saya mau lari mnyak sinang ati maa... haha... =)
out..
- the guy who says hai -
akum. cikgu naim
saya minggu lepas baru balik dr kejohanan ragbi selangor..
tempat: sbpi sabak bernam
kat sana trek balapan jangan ceritalah... jenis lembut punya...
senang cerita kalau spike melekatpun ..jatuh x sakit...
full sintetik....merah..cantik...garisan pun ada...
sekolah tu... kesian daerah kita..
blom cerita... stadium daerah-daerah lain... mmmm kenapalah.. kita kurang.....
tiada dana !!!!
mmmm mcm x logik je... daerah lain kat selangor ada...
xkan kita kena anak tiri kot...
last sekali... pada siapalah kita ingin mengadu...
kepada pengetua ...???
kepada ppd
kepada jps
kepada kpm...
rasanye... bukan mereka yg terlibat..
entahlah....
sedih... melihat daerah sendiri
A.Sallam Bai,
Aku pernah berlari di trek tu dulu-dulu lagi.Hai orang K.Langat usahalah sikit.Ini dah tahun 2000.Patutnya dah tak ada lagi macam ini.Mana Selangor Maju... kalau atlet masih lari atas jalan jalan raya dan alat ketinggalan zaman.
Cikgu K.Langat,
Itu bukan kerja cikgu lah... kalau padang sekolah bolehlah.. nak tunjuk rajinke ...rajin ada tempatnya cikgu.Lebih-lebih lagi kepada anak didik..
Aku pandai kutuk aje..kalau nak minta bantuan inilah masanya..ok.
Dear Cikgu
It's good that u highlighted about the sorry and deplorable state of std jugra.For more than 20 years nothing much had been done to upgrade the facilities esp the bitumen track.
The relevant authorities kept passing the buck and blaming each other.
The stadium had produced few national athletes in the past. We shall never produce anymore budding "norsyam's and fatimah's" in future if drastic action is not taken fast enough to restore the stadium.
This is what happening in our country right now...a developing country with third class faclities.
The culture of passing the buck around and not being morally responsible among the relevent authorities must end somehow....
Assalamualaikum Naim,
It's about high time that the responsible authorities look into this matter. My former school had its sports day in MPSJ stadium in USJ 5. And yes, it is a new, hi-tech stadium (just renovated in 2008) and its very well taken care off till you feel like running on the tracks. The stadium is under MPSJ and Subang Jaya people are very fussy when facilities in their area are not maintained well. That is one thing I notice about MPSJ. They take quick action on peoples' complaints.
I do hope that Stadium Jugra will be in better shape soon.
Hi Naim,
Really thankful to you for highlighting the condition of our Stadium Jugra to those outside Kuala Langat. Even many locals are unaware that the so called bitumen track in the Stadium is 'dead'.
Now let me as a retired teacher, an athletics advance level coach and as the Secretary of the Kuala Langat District Athletics Association highlight some facts unknown to many, in my capacity to salvage and save the stadium and track.
-Stadium together with the indoor complex was established to develop sports in the district. I even had to submit a working paper requesting for a bitumen track to be laid to the then district Officer, the late Mr.Wan Hilal and finally it became a realty in 1984 with its first bitumen track which has existed until today(24yrs), allowing students to run on it imagining that they are running on a great track....Poor kids, they will face the consequence of it later in life when their legs etc will show signs.
- the Kuala Langat bitumen track was the third track to be laid in Selangor after, Klang
and Kajang. Eventually all other 6 districts got their bitumen track.
- During this period Kuala Langat had produced a number of National Level athletes. Some of the notable ones are Norsham Yoon, Fatimah Abu Saman, Noraishah Wajib, Ithnin Abdul Rahman, Saadiah Salleh, Sharidah Daud, S,Manoharan, S.Balu, M.Prabakaran and Abdul Muthalib.
- Kuala Langat district were the state Schools(MSSS)Champions for 4 continuous years.
- The said life span of bitumen track is around 10 -12 years. Our track or rather 'road' is
24 years now. Imagine Selangor the most developed state having such a track in the
district.
- All other districts in Selangor is now having a synthetic track of Mondo or Tartan type.
But Kuala Langat is still having 'dead bitumen'.
- In 2005, the district authorities together with some great brains from the state decided
to demolish the entire sports complex, including the stadium and track and replace it
with shopping complexes and such outlets.
- I took it upon myself and highlighted it in the press and pleaded to the authorities to
save the stadium. I also handed an appeal letter to YB.Dato Nawawi the Sports Exco of the then state government.
- In response to all this, in 2005 our beloved Deputy Prime Minister ,YB Dato Seri Mohd
Najib Tun Razak made a strong statement that all existing sports complexes including
stadiums cannot be demolished but to be listed as a Green Area. This indeed was the
greatest news for me in trying to save the stadium. I then looked forward to having a
new track and am still waiting till this day.
- In November 2007, at the Selangor Menteri Besar's residence in Shah Alam while
attending a meeting to prepare for the SUKMA Games where we were told by the MB
to retain the National title. At this point I appealed to him to upgrade the track in Kuala
Langat. I then checked with the Sports EXCO who was present and was assured with a
Positive answer. I longed to see the new track………but no sign.
- Then after the March 8th National elections I continued to appeal and am still trying.
- I hope the sports ministry will do something about it and I shall be appealing to them.
- How can we develop sports without the facilities? The last Kuala Langat District AAA meet was in 2000 and at the opening ceremony the State representative had
promised a new track. Just words!
- the district standard had dropped tremendously and everyone seems to be losing
interest in sports.
- Every district in Selangor has a good synthetic track but not Kuala Langat.
So Cikgu Naim , I can continue to write and appeal but age is catching up and hope
Someone will help us.
As a sportsman and an unfortunate victim of Cancer, I hope someone out there will come forward and put a smile on our face as we need to have a healthy lifestyle.
The children of today will be the leaders of tommorrow. So lets have
broadminded and healthy children and sports play an important role in uniting the people. We are on through sports....Malaysian.
Thank you.
Jacob Mathews.
Sportsman,
Coach,
Secretary
Kuala Langat Athletics Association.
If only "the Giant" could speak.
I don't understand why we have been left out. I know that Mr Jacob has personally brought it to the attention of the higher ups.
It was in the press a number of times before.
Many grand events other than sports have been held there hosting VIPs and leaders who definitely could see the condition of the stadium without anyone needing to point it out.
Less they all be "Blind" and "Deaf".
memang kesian lihat stadium k.lgt. tunggu je le hingga ada yang cedera dalam trek atau kena elektrik shock di sub station yang tak selamat. barulah stadium ni akan diselamatkan. Naim bravoo bro atas prihatin anda
Radhuan,
Assalamualaikum Bro....
Wah....memang bagus bro...
U punya blog memang sofisticated and interested.Memang ramai yang prihatin terhadap kemudahan sukan dinegara kita nie...tapi tiada siapa yang akan dengar rintihan kita.Indah khabar dari rupa.Cantik digambarkan tapi tiada maknanya.Umpama serigala menyalak bukit.Saya telah banyak stadium yg telah dilawati dan boleh dikatakan tiada yang terurus sepenuhnya.Stadium Sabak Bernam yang di perkatakan oleh rakan kita yg bermain ragbi disana begitu cantik dan indah adalah benar.Namun itu hanya sementara sahaja.Stadium ini dibina atas dasar menteri Besarnya adalah dari Sungai Besar.jadi stadium baru dibina di sana.Sebelum ini kalau dilihat Stadium Sabak berhampiran dengan jalan Ke Teluk Intan memang agak teruk jugak tidak terurus namun lebih baik dari Stadium Jugra.Malaysia merupakan satu negara yang majoriti rakyatnya suka bersukan namun kelengkapan yang disediakan hanyalah untuk short term bukannya long term.Pihak PBT, kerajaan negeri dan persekutuan hanya pandai berkata-kata sahaja dari menjalankan tugas.Mohon stadium dibuattapi penyelenggaraan serta maintanance tiada peruntukan.
Bayangkan apa jadi nye.....Jadi HAPRAK ler lepas 10 tahun.Macam padang di Stadium Bukit Jalil pun tak terurus inikan pula Stadium Jugra yang tidak terkenal lagikan ternama.Jadi inisiatif yang ditunjukkan oleh guru-guru di daerah Kuala Langat patut diambil iktibar oleh PBT dan Kerajaan.Surh jer Ahli Majlis, Wakil Rakyat, YDP turun suruh diaorang jer buat garisan padang dan trek. Baru dia tahu perit nyer....Bukan sekadar di Pejabat bukak aircond pegang pen dan main computer.
OK itu her nak komen banyak pun sakit hati jer....
Wassalam
Radhuan,
Assalamualaikum Bro....
Wah....memang bagus bro...
U punya blog memang sofisticated and interested.Memang ramai yang prihatin terhadap kemudahan sukan dinegara kita nie...tapi tiada siapa yang akan dengar rintihan kita.Indah khabar dari rupa.Cantik digambarkan tapi tiada maknanya.Umpama serigala menyalak bukit.Saya telah banyak stadium yg telah dilawati dan boleh dikatakan tiada yang terurus sepenuhnya.Stadium Sabak Bernam yang di perkatakan oleh rakan kita yg bermain ragbi disana begitu cantik dan indah adalah benar.Namun itu hanya sementara sahaja.Stadium ini dibina atas dasar menteri Besarnya adalah dari Sungai Besar.jadi stadium baru dibina di sana.Sebelum ini kalau dilihat Stadium Sabak berhampiran dengan jalan Ke Teluk Intan memang agak teruk jugak tidak terurus namun lebih baik dari Stadium Jugra.Malaysia merupakan satu negara yang majoriti rakyatnya suka bersukan namun kelengkapan yang disediakan hanyalah untuk short term bukannya long term.Pihak PBT, kerajaan negeri dan persekutuan hanya pandai berkata-kata sahaja dari menjalankan tugas.Mohon stadium dibuattapi penyelenggaraan serta maintanance tiada peruntukan.
Bayangkan apa jadi nye.....Jadi HAPRAK ler lepas 10 tahun.Macam padang di Stadium Bukit Jalil pun tak terurus inikan pula Stadium Jugra yang tidak terkenal lagikan ternama.Jadi inisiatif yang ditunjukkan oleh guru-guru di daerah Kuala Langat patut diambil iktibar oleh PBT dan Kerajaan.Surh jer Ahli Majlis, Wakil Rakyat, YDP turun suruh diaorang jer buat garisan padang dan trek. Baru dia tahu perit nyer....Bukan sekadar di Pejabat bukak aircond pegang pen dan main computer.
OK itu her nak komen banyak pun sakit hati jer....
Wassalam
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