Friday, October 19, 2012

Najib Urges Companies To Help Mould Malaysian World Motorcycling Champions

SEPANG, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has urged more corporate companies to join hands with Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in the quest to create world motorcycling champions among Malaysian riders.

Najib also congratulated SIC and its partners for their continuous efforts in developing talents in motorcycling and giving them opportunities to compete on the world stage.

"I'm made to understand that SIC has embarked on a second GP wildcard programme, adopting the same approach that helped transform (Muhammad) Zulfahmi (Khairuddin)," he said in his message contained in the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (GP) 2012 official programme book.

Najib said that as a product of an innovative GP wildcard programme in 2009, Zulfahmi had shown that despite a late start in the World Championship, he was able to match his more experienced and illustrious rivals from Europe.

The prime minister said this was further proven this year through Zulfahmi's fantastic performance in the current Moto3 world championship.

"Though yet to score a podium finish, the 21-year-old 'kampung boy' from Bukit Canggang, Banting had topped free practice sessions, started from the front row, recorded fastest laps during races, led races and has finished as high as fourth in his first season of the Moto3 World Championship," Najib said.

Najib said that since the MotoGP World Championship -- then called the World GP -- first came to Malaysian shores in 1991, the country had reaped massive benefits especially in terms of promoting the development of motorsports in Malaysia.

He said it had also generated interest among local fans, created new racing series and inspired young talents to dream of competing and becoming world champions.

"From our initial participation as wildcard riders at the Malaysian GP in the first nine years, Malaysia made a bold move by venturing into the 250cc world championship at the turn of the millennium through Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Team TVK and Shahrol Yuzy Ahmad Zaini," he said.

He noted that the team lasted three seasons in the World Series but the impact it made remained, especially in terms of instilling confidence among fellow Malaysians "that we have the talents to compete against the world's best".

Najib said that besides efforts in using the Malaysian Motorcycle GP as a platform to inspire young riders and develop the sport, he was happy that SIC was expanding the scope of the event further as a catalyst for business development by organising a Motorsports Business Forum.

"Having the forum is timely in view of the massive opportunities that are provided by the sport," he added.

-- BERNAMA

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