Malaysia asks Indonesia to drop Asian Games bid<\/p>\n
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Malaysia has asked Indonesia to drop
\nits bid to host the 2006 Asian Games for the sake of its own,
\nsaying the rivalry between them would undermine their hopes to
\nhost the event.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Tan Sri Dato Haji
\nMuhyiddin told a news conference here on Sunday that national
\nsports councils of both countries would hold talks to find the
\nbest solution to their conflicting interests.<\/p>\n
"We are afraid that the two Southeast Asian countries will
\nlose their bids. It's better if Indonesia support us this time
\naround, and Malaysia will give full support to Indonesia's bid in
\nthe future," he said.<\/p>\n
Muhyiddin dismissed the possibility of the two countries
\njointly holding the event.<\/p>\n
"There would be serious logistical problems if the event was
\nheld in two different places."<\/p>\n
He said that president of the Olympics Council of Asia, Sheikh
\nJabbar Ahmad Al-Sabah, had personally approved of Malaysia's bid
\nregardless of the fact that another Southeast Asia country,
\nThailand, hosted the Asiad last year.<\/p>\n
"The OCA doesn't name a hosting country based on region but on
\nhow prepared a bidding country is," he said.<\/p>\n
Apart from the likelihood of Indonesia's bid, Malaysia will
\nface a challenge from Hong Kong. India, Qatar, Syria, and
\nUzbekistan also have expressed their interests. OCA will announce
\nthe 2006 Asiad host in November.<\/p>\n
Muhyiddin said Malaysia's success to finish second in the 20th
\nSoutheast Asian Games would motivate its athletes to reach new
\nheights in the 2006 Asian Games if it was held on their home
\nsoil.<\/p>\n
"We have always groomed our athletes who will compete in
\ninternational events in a five-year training program, such as
\nwhat we did prior to the 1998 Commonwealth Games which we
\nhosted."<\/p>\n
Malaysia spends 200 million ringgit for the long-term program
\nwhich usually involves 3,000 athletes, according to Muhyiddin.
\nOnly 300 of them are eventually selected to the national team.<\/p>\n
Success<\/p>\n
Its success in hosting the Commonwealth Games encouraged
\nMalaysia to pursue a bid for the Asian Games.<\/p>\n
Muhyiddin said Kuala Lumpur would use sports facilities built
\nfor the Commonwealth Games in the Shah Alam Sports Complex to
\nhost the Asian Games.<\/p>\n
"After successfully staging the 1998 Commonwealth Games, we
\nbelieve we have all the facilities and infrastructure to host the
\nGames," said Muhyiddin, who also chairs the 2001 Malaysia SEA
\nGames organizing committee.<\/p>\n
The complex has a 100,000-seat main stadium, 4,000-seat
\naquatic stadium and 5,000-seat indoor stadium. It also has a
\nmonorail train service from the complex to the downtown of Kuala
\nLumpur.<\/p>\n
Malaysia plans to stage the Asiad in three locations: Kuala
\nLumpur, Penang and Johor Baru.<\/p>\n
During the media conference, pictures of the complex, logo and
\nthe mascot of Cyber Alang, which symbolized Malaysia's readiness
\nto face the millennium era, were displayed.<\/p>\n
Muhyiddin said the bidding committee would organize a walk to
\ninvite Malaysians to support the bid.<\/p>\n
"On Nov. 6, nearly two million people are expected to join the
\nWalk for the Nation movement as their support for the bid," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
However, the minister declined to mention the budget to bid
\nfor the Asiad host.<\/p>\n
"I can't mention the budget. We just try to be modest in costs
\nbecause some Southeast Asian countries are still recovering from
\nthe economic crisis," he said. "The figure will be reasonable and
\nnot excessive."<\/p>\n
Muhyiddin said if Malaysia won its Asian Games bid, the
\ncouncil and the government would consider bidding for the 2008
\nOlympic Games.<\/p>\n
"We've learned from Seoul, which hosted the 1986 Asiad before
\nhosting the 1988 Olympics. I hope we can follow in its
\nfootsteps," he said. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysia-asks-indonesia-to-drop-asian-games-bid-1447893297",
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