KUALA LUMPUR — National hockey legend Awtar Singh Grewal is pleading for the preservation of Tun Razak Hockey Stadium, urging authorities not to demolish the iconic venue, which has been a crucial part of Malaysia’s hockey legacy.
“Please don’t demolish Tun Razak Stadium, as it was the birthplace of some of the best hockey players this nation has ever seen,” said Awtar on the potential demolition of the venue following last month’s high court ruling which ordered 263.272 acres of land in Mukim Batu to be transferred to Semantan Estate Sdn Bhd.
However, the high court yesterday granted the government’s application to stay the decision on the land transfer, which includes the stadium.
Awtar, a bronze medalist at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games, reflected on the stadium’s significance.
“Tun Razak Stadium was where my teammates and I trained tirelessly to bring glory to the nation. It’s where we prepared for the biggest tournaments like the Asian Games, SEA Games, and World Cup,” Awtar said during the team introduction ceremony for the 2024 Masters Hockey World Cup at the Royal Selangor Club yesterday.
Constructed in 1982, the stadium has long been a landmark in Malaysia’s hockey history, hosting major events like the Malaysia Hockey League and the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, once one of the sport’s premier invitational tournaments.
“Many of us have unforgettable memories of this place. It was the first hockey stadium in Kuala Lumpur, long before Bukit Jalil, and it nurtured some of the best players in the country.
Known as the “Duta enclave”, it is today home to a number of government complexes, sports facilities as well as a few other familiar landmarks.
Besides the National Archives and major roads leading from Jalan Duta to Segambut, there are 13 other government buildings including the Examination Syndicate, Education Department, Institut Integriti Malaysia, Inland Revenue Board, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Academy.
Besides the Tun Razak Hockey Stadium, the Jalan Duta Sports Complex also comprises the National Tennis Centre and Squash Centre on the land.
Prominent former players who rose to prominence at Tun Razak Stadium include Mohindar Singh Grewal, Stephen Van Huizen, William Lazaroo, Derick Fidelis, and others, many of whom are set to reunite for the 2024 Masters Hockey World Cup in Cape Town this October.
The veteran squad, which includes players from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, recently received a RM10,000 allocation from Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to support their participation in the tournament, where they will compete against teams from 15 nations. — September 13, 2024