THE Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has confirmed that the sports complex on Jalan Tun Sambanthan will open to the public next year. 

Completed this year, the City Hall said that the sports complex is expected to start operating in January 2025. 

“This is after the end of the defect liability period, as it is to ensure that the sports complex is in good condition for people’s use,” DBKL said in a statement issued to The Malaysian Insight. 

The facilities in the sports complex include a football field, futsal court and two basketball courts. 

DBKL said that its Culture, Arts, Tourism and Sports Department would manage the sports complex. 

The City Hall, however, did not respond to queries on any shortcomings that may have caused the delay in the opening of the sports complex.

They also did not respond when asked about possible charges for using the facilities, and whether Brickfields residents would be allowed to use the facilities for free, given the scarcity of fields in the area.

Earlier, stakeholders from Brickfields who spoke to The Malaysian Insight urged City Hall to explain the reason behind the delay in opening the sports complex, which was closed in 2017 for redevelopment. 

Among others, Brickfields Rukun Tetangga chairman SKK Naidu said the sports complex lacked basic infrastructure like toilets and changing rooms. 

He also claimed that DBKL did not hold any discussions with the stakeholders when the plans to redevelop the field was initiated. 

In 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, then Kuala Lumpur mayor Mahadi Che Ngah was inundated with requests for more playing fields.

To meet the request, Mahadi promised to replace the field that was closed in 2017, and an announcement on the redevelopment of the field in Brickfields was made in 2021. – June 11, 2024.