Kuala Lumpur: After a long wait, the Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) can finally breathe a sigh of relief as they prepare to open their new facility, the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Academy Centre at Stadium Jalan Raja Muda in Kampung Baru.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, PSM president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan stated that renovations are needed at the venue, which is expected to be fully operational by June. The stadium still requires upgrades, including the installation of air conditioning, and it may take two to three months to open the academy there.

“We have used the stadium for small programmes in the past. We will work to enhance it further to ensure it functions effectively as an academy,” Mohd Sumali told Bernama. He shared this update following a meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, which was also attended by the National Sports Council (NSC) deputy director-general (sports development) Jefri Ngadirin and PSM representatives.

Mohd Sumali expressed appreciation for the commitment of Hannah Yeoh and her ministry, along with the NSC and the National Sports Institute (ISN), in fulfilling PSM’s aspiration to establish its academy. He previously mentioned that PSM had planned to have its own stadium and had identified several possible locations in the Klang Valley. However, last October, he considered establishing a sports academy instead of owning a stadium.

Furthermore, Mohd Sumali revealed that PSM had secured a nine-year lease to manage the ISN-owned stadium until 2034. He also announced the upcoming launch of the National Sepak Takraw Development Programme (NSTDP) next month, marking a significant milestone for traditional sports, particularly in nurturing young talents at the grassroots level.