BINTULU — Despite the excitement surrounding Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), which spans 1,190km across 11 states, organising the event poses challenges without full support from state governments.
Held annually, the LTdL race passes through various rural areas in Malaysia, inadvertently promoting these regions.
It is no surprise that many state governments want the race to include their areas due to the potential for increased attention and tourism.
However, it is disappointing that they are unwilling to contribute financially to this year’s event.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh revealed that her ministry, along with the National Sports Council (NSC), which serves as the event’s organiser, has spent approximately RM12 million to ensure the race’s smooth and successful execution this year.
Despite not receiving financial support from the state governments, the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) and the NSC are grateful for sponsorships from companies like Petronas, Tourism Malaysia, Bubbles O2, Bintulu Port, and Motoshoot, which have helped make Asia’s oldest road cycling race a success.
In total, the race has secured approximately RM8.1 million in sponsorships.
“Most states are keen for the race to come to their states but they are not keen to give money, that is the challenge that we face. It is all about cost, even last year I had to explain in parliament why the race was not going to Langkawi (for the 2023 edition).
“We always try our best to cover places that we feel are interesting for both tourism as well as the cycling (racing) aspect.
“The challenge for us is always funding. As we have constantly said, all the chief ministers really need to pay more attention to sports development funds.
“They need to allocate funds to sports but not just to ensure they win in the Malaysia Games (Sukma). It should also be an investment to bring in tourists to their states.
“There are so many platforms for states to promote themselves but if they do not set aside funds (it will not happen). By now all chief ministers should know that LTdL is an annual event,” said Hannah.
Hannah also commended the Sarawak state government for stepping up to host two stages of this year’s LTdL, namely the seventh and eighth stages.
She highlighted Sarawak’s commitment to establishing itself as a premier host of international sporting events, urging other states to follow its example.
“Our challenge now is really about getting other states to come forward. We can’t always expect Sarawak to come to the table and help us out like they did with the Malaysia Games (Sukma) and LTdL.
“The chief ministers of other states need to see this as an investment to their states, and not just part of the recreational portfolio.
“Otherwise the youth and sports exco for the states will always be receiving the smallest portion of the budget,” she added.
To encourage more state governments to provide stronger financial support, particularly through sponsorships, the organisers are now reviewing more attractive sponsorship packages for next year’s edition. – October 6, 2024