19-06-2025
Swimming pool closed for basic training
Published on: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Published on: Wed, Jun 18, 2025
By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: Some of the 200 staff who attended the basic training at the International pool. THE management of the Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex (KKSC) has refuted a claim that it failed to inform the public in advance about the recent closure of its International swimming pool. A KKSC spokesman said the pool was closed for three days to allow a government department to conduct some basic training.
Advertisement He said about 200 personnel participated in the event which was carried out between 8.30am-4pm from Tuesday and Thursday in the second week of June. 'The agency's administration made us aware of their intention to rent the pool for this purpose some time ago,' he said. 'Information about the closure was posted online at the complex's official social media page a full seven days before the scheduled training.' A physical announcement was pinned up on the KKSC's notice-board around the same time, according to him. The spokesman explained that this pool was an Olympic-sized one which divided into 10 lanes. 'It is 50 meters long and 25 meters wide. The depth varies between two meters at the shallow end to three meters at the deep end.' He said a fee of RM10 was levied to use the pool, which was open to the public between 8am-11.30pm and 2pm-7pm daily. 'Aside from those instances when it may be rented out, the International pool is generally closed on the first Monday of each month so that it can be maintained.' He said there were two other pools sited at the Complex: A diving pool which was meant for athletes and had a depth of 10 metres, as well as a recreation and kiddie pool which was open to the public. ONG, an avid swimmer, drove all the way from his home in Putatan to the KKSC on Thursday just make use of the International swimming pool, only to find that it was closed. 'I didn't see a notice anywhere to explain why the pool was off-limits to the public,' he alleged. 'I go to the pool, on and off, to get some exercise and was upset that I couldn't do so on this occasion after coming from so far away.' The spokesman said the management regretted any disappointment caused to those who couldn't go for a swim during the closure of the pool. 'However, we would like to point out that we did perform our due diligence to alert users beforehand that they would temporarily be unable to access the International pool,' he said. As an alternative, he advised Ong to consider going for a swim at the Penampang Sports Complex (PSC) pool, if he ever found himself unable to access the International pool at the KKSC again in future. 'The PSC pool may be a bit smaller but, at least, it has the benefit of being closer to where he lives in Putatan. 'The one at the Penampang Complex is a standard 50m competition pool. It is 25m wide and has a depth of 2m.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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