JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 24 (Bernama) – The Johor State Government today denied allegations claiming that the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI) does not belong to the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) football club.
Johor Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, and Cooperatives Committee Chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said that the allegations uploaded on platform X by an individual were untrue and have the potential to mislead the public.
He said that SSI is the property of the club, which is under the patronage and consent of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim (TMJ), as the club owner.
"I strongly deny these allegations. The statement made by the individual is untrue, baseless, and speculative, and should be stopped to avoid misleading the people of Johor," he said in a statement today.
He added that the construction of the stadium was part of Tunku Mahkota Ismail's strategic vision to develop a world-class sports ecosystem in the state.
According to him, the JDT club functions as a professional entity that manages and develops the team, including technical aspects, player performance, talent development, and overall club management.
To ensure the stadium's governance is carried out in a structured and professional manner, Tunku Ismail has entrusted the Johor State Stadium Corporation (PSNJ) with tasks including the regulation of the stadium's daily operations.
"PSNJ also carries out periodic maintenance and manages aspects of security, facilities, logistics, and event organisation," he said.
Mohd Hairi said this management model demonstrates a clear and effective separation of roles, where JDT focuses on team performance while PSNJ is responsible for stadium management and maintenance.
"This approach is in line with the best practices of elite global clubs and is a key factor in JDT's continuous success at both national and international levels," he said.
In this regard, he urged all parties, particularly writers and social media influencers, to be more responsible by verifying facts before making any statements that could affect the reputation of the state's sports institutions and Johor's leadership.
He said the state government remains committed to ensuring that SSI continues to be managed professionally and with integrity, remaining a source of pride for the people and a symbol of the state's sporting excellence.
--BERNAMA
