I am writing as the president/legal adviser of the Consumers Association Subang and Shah Alam. We are told that the pitch at Shah Alam stadium is under attack by mites and this has forced the organisers of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games to move the men's football competition to the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council stadium in Kelana Jaya.

According to reports, over a month ago the Asian Football Confederation after examining the said pitch had advised the stadium management, the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) - formerly, the Shah Alam Municipal Council - to upgrade the pitch and to do minor renovation works, the drainage and to install back-up lights in the event of a power failure.

However, it is inexplicable how and why instead of doing just that, the MBSA after taking over the stadium from Puncak Niaga, removed the grass, the top soil, which cost them close to a million ringgit!

What is even strange are the claims of MBSA landscape architect Mohamed Tahir that their "appointed consultant of the said project had claimed that the pitch would be ready in a month."

In view of the adverse publicity, the shift of the venue, the claims and counter claims of various parties, the clear and well-published embarrassment to the government and nation - several pertinent questions need to be addressed, since close to a million ringgit, was spent.

Whose decision was it to spend close to a million ringgit on the pitch since only minor changes were sought by the Asian Football Council?

Who appointed the "consultants for the entire project" and based on what criterion?

Was it a close or open tender? Was there transparency and accountability in the selection process?

Have the relevant authorities conducted an impartial probe on the claims of this "termite or bug attack" or whether, it is just a burn-out as a result of indiscriminate over-fertilisation?

In view of the wastage of public funds and embarrassment caused to the state, will the Mentri Besar of Selangor appoint an independent probe of this matter?

It is sad that despite repeated advice by both the premier and deputy premier, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi respectively, to spearhead accountability, good governance and a culture of good maintenance and stewardship of public assets and monies, we have the MBSA failing miserably.

According to some industry sources I have spoken to, it is sheer "impossibility and foolishness" to expect the pitch to be ready, within the normal period of over eight weeks and the cost of close to a million ringgit, simply "unbelievable".

Despite this claim by industry sources engaged in the said profession, MBSA's landscape architect has the audacity to claim that their 'consultant' made a claim that the pitch would be ready within a month.

It is a pity that despite this fiasco, decision makers behind this ill-planned scheme had neither the courage nor the conviction, to facilitate an impartial probe, accept blame and resign.

Perhaps, the wastage of close to a million ringgit is not an issue at all for certain quarters. After all, it is not their money.