More Sporting Events To Promote Malaysia - Sport Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) -- The Youth and Sports Ministry will continue the efforts to organise more international sporting events to promote Malaysia as an attractive sports tourism destination. In this regard, Its minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the ministry will also ensure the national sports associations, government and corporate sectors work together to achieve the objective. "As Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad stressed, among the reasons he mooted Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) was to make Malaysia, especially Langkawi as a sports tourism destination. We (ministry) want to make sure the vision is achieved and we can see a lot sports events were held since last year. "He (Prime Minister) is highly committed on this matter, that is why we see that he personally came down to personally see the Ceremony To Introduce the LTdL Team Friday night. He will also attend the flagging off for the riders in the first stage tomorrow and for the two final stages in Langkawi," he said at the press conference after the Team Presentation Ceremony at the KLCC Friday night. Earlier in the officiating speech, Dr Mahathir said this year alone, Langkawi is hosting numerous international sporting events – rugby, sailing, beach volleyball, dragon boat, tennis and marathon – among others, which contribute to the local economic development of Langkawi and Malaysia in general. Commenting on this year's LTdL, Syed Saddiq is confident that the three local teams - the Malaysian National Team and continental teams, Team Sapura Cycling and Terengganu Inc-TSG Cycling Team are capable of displaying good performance. The LTdL, covering a total of 1,225.8km, will start from KLCC to Tampin (176.9km) tomorrow followed by Senawang-Melaka (Stage 2); Muar-Putrajaya (Stage 3); Shah Alam-Genting Highlands (Stage 4); Tanjung Malim-Taiping (Stage 5); Bagan-Alor Setar (Stage 6); start and end at Pantai Cenang, Langkawi (Stage 7); and end with the Dataran Lang-Kuah Loop (Stage 8). -- BERNAMA