Stadium Merdeka
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| Location | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Owner | Permodalan Nasional Bhd |
| Operator | Perbadanan Stadium Merdeka |
| Capacity | 20,000 |
| Surface | Grass pitch, track |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 25 September 1956 |
| Opened | 21 August 1957 |
| Architect | Stanley Edward Jewkes |
| Tenants | |
| Formerly Selangor FA Formerly Malaysian national football team Southeast Asian Games (1965, 1971, 1977) 2013 Asian Youth Para Games Kuala Lumpur FA (occasional) |
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Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It has significance as the site of the formal declaration of independence of the Federation of Malaya on 31 August 1957 and the first modern building of the new nation. The stadium was the principal venue in Kuala Lumpur for celebrations and sporting events until 1962 when the Stadium Negara was built. In 2008, the Stadium Merdeka received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Excellence for Heritage Conservation owing to its cultural significance and embodiment of a unique independence declaration event.
Stadium Merdeka was constructed from 25 September 1956 to 21 August 1957, and was designed by architect Stanley Edward Jewkes. It is the site of one of Malaysia's most historically significant events. On 31 August 1957, power was transferred from the British Empire to the newly independent Malayan government. Tens of thousands of people crowded into the stadium, which was built specifically for this occasion.
The stadium served as the principal venue in Kuala Lumpur for celebrations and sporting events until the mid-1990s when the Stadium Negara was built.
The stadium and its land were given to a private company which had intended to redevelop the land into a RM1 billion entertainment and office complex. In exchange, the company was required to build seven other stadiums in other locations. However, the company did not proceed with the redevelopment due to public outcry and the company's financial difficulties due to the late 1990s Asian economic crisis.
The Stadium Merdeka, operated by Perbadanan Stadium Merdeka, was a venue for many major sporting events. These included the football matches for Selangor FA from 1957 until 1994, the fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Bugner on July 1, 1975, and the 1977 Southeast Asian Games and the annual Merdeka Football Tournament (Pesta Bola Merdeka). The Malaysia Cup final between Sarawak and Brunei was held there in 1999 which resulted in a Brunei win 2-1.
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