Malaysia hopes to do well from SEA Games
Malaysia hopes to do well from SEA Games
JAKARTA (JP): Malaysia hopes to earn more than 4 million
ringgit (US$1.06 million) as host of the 21st Southeast Asian
(SEA) Games in September.
Berita Harian daily reported multinational film producer
Konica has signed an endorsement deal for $1 million.
And state-owned companies Telekom Malaysia, car manufacturer
Proton, oil company Petronas and Tenaga Nasional Berhad have
hinted at a joint sponsorship of the Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 Games.
The head of the Games Secretariat, Zaki Abdul Rahman, said the
organizers were still negotiating with the four companies.
"Following a previous discussion between representatives of
the four companies and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Datuk
Hishammuddin Hussein on Tuesday evening, the minister really
hopes the companies can jointly sponsor the event," he said as
quoted by the newspaper.
"They all have given a positive reaction and we at the
secretariat really hope they can boost the image of the event,
not only locally but for foreign countries."
"Should they all give their approval in the next discussion,
they will become the official partners of the 21st SEA Games
along with Konica."
"The cooperation will not only help us stage the event, but we
may show a profit higher than the 4 million ringgit we earned
from the last Games here in 1989."
This year's Games, Malaysia's fifth as the host, will feature
32 sports offering 390 gold medals. These numbers are the second
most after the 1997 Games in Jakarta, which featured 34 sports
and 448 golds.
Events at the Games will be held in cities outside the capital
of Kuala Lumpur, including Johor Bahru, Pulau Pinang, Seremban
and Shah Alam.
The Malaysian government has provided 50 million ringgit to
hold the Games. Zaki said he would announce the agreement with
the four state-owned companies on Feb. 3, at the same time Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad kicks off the SEA Games campaign.
"We will still hold discussions with other companies that have
showed interest in sponsoring the event," he said.
"Perhaps they are interested because they believe the
organizers will be able to stage the best Games ever, which will
serve as a promotion for their products." (yan)