Kelantan youth, sports and NGO committee chairman Zamakhshari Muhamad said the facilities included the construction of the Bukit Merbau sports complex and the Madinah Al-Salam aquatic centre in Tunjong here.
“The state government has allocated RM164.35 million for the cost of land acquisition, preliminary land works and the provision of infrastructure for these two projects.
“The sports complex was one of the main components in the state government’s application through the youth and sports ministry under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP),” he said.
Yesterday, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hoped the Kelantan government would make full use of the allocation of RM276 million from the federal government for the construction of sports facilities in preparation for Sukma.
Zamakhshari said the development of the 64ha Madinah Al-Riadhah Bukit Merbau complex would involve 10 main Sukma venues. They include the main stadium, shooting range, indoor arena, hockey stadium and synthetic football pitch.
“To complement the development of the sports infrastructure, a 7ha site for a sports school has been prepared to optimise the use of the sports facilities, in addition to producing more international-class athletes.
“Currently, RM18.15 million is being spent by the state government to reclaim land to complete the overall development site, as planned by the town and country planning department,” he said.
He said the state government is spending RM62 million on earthworks and related development of access roads for the site of the six sports venues.
This is in addition to RM53 million to build the Madinah Al-Riadhah Bukit Merbau infrastructure, currently in the final stages of coordination by the public works department.
“An aquatics centre in Tunjong costing RM25 million has been approved with RM7.7 million allocated for earthworks, in addition to a cycling track in Bukit Bakar, Machang, costing RM1.7 million.
“A badminton hall costing RM11 million will also be built in Madinah Al-Salam, Tunjong, in addition to other plans at the same location.”
He said the overall development is expected to be fully completed by mid-2026 in readiness for Kelantan to host Sukma for the first time in mid-2028.