M'SIA HAS NO PLAN TO CONTINUE TO BID FOR ASIAN GAMES 2019

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has no intention of continuing to bid
for the Asian Games 2019 as it involves a mega budget exceeding RM1.6 billion
(US$510.94 million), said Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

He said the decision was made by the Cabinet at its meeting three weeks ago.

"The Cabinet felt that while the government is trying to restructure the
granting of subsidy in an effort to cut cost, the cost of hosting the Asian
Games 2019 amounting to RM1.6 billion is too high to bear," he told reporters
here Wednesday night.

Earlier, he attended a breaking of the fast with the Malaysian Sports Writers
Association (SAM)-Ministry of Youth and Sports at a hotel, here Wednesday.

Ahmad Shabery said the RM1.6 billion cost did not include the construction of
new infrastructure including a stadium, sports village and accommodation for the
athletes and improvements on the existing sports facilities in the country.

Malaysia, through the Youth and Sports Ministry, had sent a 'letter of intent'
to the Olympics Council of Asia (OCA) in November last year to express its
intention to host the 18th Asian Games in 2019.

The 16th Asian Games will be held in Guangzhou, China from Oct 12 until 27 while
the 17th edition of the Games will be held in Incheon, South Korea in 2014.

Besides Malaysia, other countries interested in bidding for the 2019 Asian Games
are Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Vietnam and India.
-- BERNAMA



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