More bad news regarding the inaugural KL City Grand Prix, slated to kick off in just two weeks, from August 7 to 9 – the Malay Mail reports that the event has yet to even receive approval from the country’s Sport Commissioner’s Office.
Sports commissioner Datuk Zaiton Othman said that she was unaware if organiser GT Global Race has even applied for a licence to host the event; failing to do so could lead the company to breach the Sports Development Act 1997, potentially resulting in a fine of up to RM5,000 or a jail term or both.
“I doubt this race can go on as there has not been any application to my office,” she said. “Under the Sports Development Act, the organiser must obtain a licence from us.”
However, Zaiton added that she was unsure if a direct application was made to youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who has prerogative powers to approve international sporting events. The minister visited certain portions of the track on Wednesday, together with GT Global Race ambassador Alex Yoong, chairman Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar, CEO M. Arrasu and race technical director Simon Gardini.
The English language daily could not contact Khairy, who is currently in the United States, but it met with Arrasu on Wednesday; the latter said that he was unaware of the need to file an application. “If needed we will put in an application,” he said.
Zaiton said that, unlike GT Global Race, the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) has previously applied for licences for motoring events, including the Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix. “SIC makes applications to us all the time – even for Formula One – and we have given our approval,” she said.
Meanwhile, some digging around at the KL City GP website has revealed that the previously-announced Audi R8 LMS Cup and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia one-make races have been dropped from this year’s event, meaning that the race series set to appear have been whittled down to four.
These include the one-make Lamborghini Super Trofeo Cup, Formula Masters and the KL GT City Cup, as well as an exhibition run of the Australian V8 Supercars series. The latter is set to become a proper full championship round for four years starting from next year.
The KL City Grand Prix has met with some criticism recently, including a lack of publicity and information, a loss of income for taxi drivers as well as safety concerns with regards to the fences that have been put up along the 3.2 km-long circuit.
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Why is there a need for sports commissioner? Sounds so dodgy, like an excuse for cronies to get gaji buta.
So ministry of sports no need handle motorsports? What’s this, motorsports not a sport? Instead, some makcik with 0 experience get to tell the real men in motorsports they can’t do anything because didn’t pay kopi money?
Based on the people behind GT Global Race, do u think that sport commissioner won’t grant them with license in short notice? Hehehe
With the circuit length of 3.2km and 16 turns, what is so special having the Audi, Porsche on the track? They can’t even reach 100km/h before reaching next turn.
Better put Persona, Satria, Myvi, Vios, City on the road, at least those are normal people cars.
Wanna watch super car racing under KL hot sun? Watch fast and furious better!
No songlap, no license
Haha.. Don’t forget kancil and kelisa too! 1 lane can fit both cars! More participants. The more, the merrier!
funny how much “construction” has been going on for quite a while already and this Sports Commissioner Office didn’t know what its for…evidence they’re being paid gaji buta? I mean if they don’t know what a racing fence is for…what the hell do they know about sports and safety?
I thought Khairy Jamaluddin is the one you should looking for instead of this duno-who-datuk?
U don’t know who this dato? Really?
I am not that old but her name rings a bell…. Could she be the same lady who was an athlete in the early 80s and a multiple SEA games gold medalists at that…. Obviously she aint an F1 driver…
She might not into F1 etc.. But she has been appointed by government.. Let she do her job..
Somebody from gt global race might use
‘Don’t worry, no need to apply.. We know person inside..’ That lead to this..
it is already stated over there that it is the minister prerogative, so no need to get the sports comm approval laa
i still see no point in organizing this grand prix, as if KL streets are not jammed enough…..and let’s not forget that KL is not really that safe these days….
go race at SIC! we hv enough of traffic jam in kl. ppl spend 1-2hrs daily stuck in traffic, if these is on…can easily add another 1-2 hrs to the daily grind!!! idiot…go race at SIC ler!!!
Singapore do street F1 race : Well done, successful, it’s not about the race, it’s a party, profitable, Malaysia stupid do race in palm oil, no public transport, hot weather, songlap, kroni, waste taxpayer money.
KL do street race : stupid la, jam u know, jaaam. How to show off my Godcar to amoi if stuck in jam? Taxi also cannot make money, racing is dangerous, stupid men wasting fuel, damage environment, noisy, %$@$@##$#@%^#
this is a disaster… people organize event we organize event until like this… such a shame
City road course is a joke, especially in a city like KL. It’ll be a traffic congestion nightmare. Can they just host it at Sepang circuit?? Next year’s Australian V8 Supercars Malaysian round, they better do it at Sepang.
I think Jho Low the person who bring the race to Malaysia. While Audi & Porsche’s race are dropped, we can hope to see Myvi race then. Ah beng style.
Street race in the middle of KL
Excitement! Thrill!
NO!
Business and offices affected
The rakyat affected
No driving
LRT and monorail stations and trains will be jam packed with people spilling out to the road
Pedestrians inconvenienced and safety at risk
Unable to cross the roads
Bus stops and taxi stands blocked
PLEASE CONSIDER DECLARING FT KL A PUBLIC HOLIDAY, for everyone’s safety and convenience. Remember, PEOPLE FIRST!
For your further info the whole circuit race was architect by FIA and organizer with DBKL and Putrajaya office approval since last year, how could she claimed doesn’t know ANYTHING ABOUT IT except Sepang event?? The JKR has completely fixed 3.2 long road circuit especially the potholes. Didn’t get the memo from them, Dato?
Then somebody must telling lie here..
Either gt global or commisioner
That company might go discuss everything with dbkl, jkr, etc.. But they have missed the application for license for the commissioner
Jkr might as well not aware to put commisioner in the loop..:)
This is not the first time she (Dato Zaiton Othman) screw up on our national interest, even MHC has sent legal letter to her over hockey constitution earlier this year.
She used to be an athlete in hey day but now as a sport commissioner, I suggest it’s better for her to go to back to school again and revised her homework.
I am not against a need for a license since it involves public safety but please do things at the BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS/EVENT NOT AT THE END.
What is this racing shit in the middle of KL City? Two weeks to go: no publicity, no license, ugly fences unsafe to pedestrian. Obviously, work of lau ya organizer. This event is not fit for KL city & should be scrapped. Mau racing, pegi Sepang la…
The authorities should’nt approve this. You want some racing, do it at a proper racing venue – Sepang. It’s a hassle-free solution. Still stubborn with city street circuit idea, then Putrajaya will be the perfect venue..
So many goverment agencies with overlapping job functions. Make people confuse to whom they should go to get approval
Dont really know what safety procedures or safety mechanisms are in store for this. There are no run off areas, everything is barricaded with concrete, and the streets are narrow; like 2 lanes only for the track and no emergency lane for emergency vehicles to remove the crashed cars. Once 1 car crash… race over…. everyone has to wait for things to get cleared. So silly to have a race in such a confined place like this.
with so many scandals, songlap cases, economic uncertainty happening in the govt…….nobody wants to do events in Malaysia…
Massive trafic jam..how people gonna go to work on that friday?hotel nearby?1 more thing if accident happen to the race and the car parts fly to no where especially the tyre..very dangerous i could say..sorry if my comment u not agree. Im wondering is the public transport capable to full filled as alternative way to kl.
Malaysians are keyboard warriors…only know to complain…what have we become to haihhhhh….
Having GTs at KL City Centre is not a very good decision boys…pls njoi it somewhere else…
Obviously somebody in kbs does not cc sports commissioner about this…
Road closure fm 6am-6pm. They either expect us to come to work at 5am when standard working hrs starts btwn 8-9am, or they want us to simply waste our annual leave just to avoid the madness. Either way, m sure they cudnt be bothered wit whatever or however we are to manage our working day, as long as their pockets r full of dough! Why can’t our govt be sensible for once! Even d lrt or monorail can’t handle d working traffic in the city centre if we aren’t allowed to drive our cars to work. Please la… Go la declare public holiday since its gonna be a historical event anyway! :-p
I find it amusing that they just block and fence up most of kl city main road for the GT event and our so called sport commissioner has no idea about it. What does that say ? Sleeping on the job ? Poor communication ? Didn’t get the memo ? Email inbox full ?