ANOTHER CYCLING EVENT FOR MALAYSIA

Just as Tour DeLangkawi is getting popular amongst the local cycling fans, we have come up with another copy of the same event.

The 'Jelajah Malaysia' is a new event which is said to be able to be branded internationally. It can promote the country worldwide when it becomes a leading cycling race in the region and the Asian continent soon, said the patron of the 'Jelajah Malaysia 2011', Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Rosmah, who is also the wife of the Prime Minister, said in order to realise this objective, there must be detailed planning and implementation from now to ensure that it was the best cycling race in the region.

She also hoped that in future, the 'Jelajah Malaysia' would involve activists in the tourism sector too.

"It can bring in tour agents to arrange suitable tourism packages in conjunction with the race. Besides hotel accommodation, tourists can also use the homestay facilities," she said when launching the 'Jelajah Malaysia 2011', here Thursday.

She said the organisers could announce their activities to the Malaysian embassies and high commissions abroad so that they could also promote the Jelajah Malaysia race.

Rosmah said the organisers could also invite representatives from the foreign sports and tourism media so that they could follow the tour and cover the race for consumption in their respective countries.

The 47th Jelajah Malaysia with the theme "Jelajah 1Malaysia - The People's Tour", organised by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF), will have six stages starting at Kota Iskandar, Johor on March 8 and ending at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan on March 13.

A total of 150 riders from 34 teams from within and outside the country are expected to participate in the Jelajah Malaysia this time.

Among the foreign teams competing in the race are those from the United States, South America, Europe, Oceania and the Asian continent while the local teams are from Johor, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, 'MSN Serantau', the national team as well as from the Royal Malaysian Police and Malaysian Armed Forces.

The other teams are TCT-Pro Asia Terengganu Cycling Team, LeTua Cycling Club, Felda Terengganu Cycling Team and university students under the Malaysian Universities Sports Council (MASUM).