Support from PM strengthens bid for 2013 IOC Congress host job

KUALA LUMPUR: A video clip containing a message from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will be among Malaysia’s ‘secret weapons’ in its bid to host the 2013 International Olympic Council (IOC) Congress.

National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Zolkples Embong said Malaysia’s delegation, headed by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, would make a representation at the 122nd IOC Session in Vancouver, Canada tomorrow prior to the voting by IOC’s 115 members.

“Malaysia is given 20 minutes to make the representation on its bid to host the 2013 IOC Congress in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur’s competitor is Buenos Aires (Argentina),” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Apart from Zolkples and Shabery, others in the Malaysian delegation are Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar, OCM vice-president Low Beng Choo and OCM honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi.

Zolkples said Malaysia’s representation would start with Tunku Imran introducing Malaysia’s bid, including on the venue and the country’s capabilities in hosting the event, followed by Shabery who would touch on the issue of budget, security and the government’s support to the bid.

“The minister is making the presentation on behalf of the government in which the prime minister’s video clip will be shown.

“The government’s support is crucial in convincing IOC members on the strength of KL’s bid,” he said.

Zolkples said the 2013 IOC Congress would decide the host for the 2020 Olympic Games as well as appoint a new president replacing Jacques Rogge whose term would expire by then.

“If Malaysia succeed in the bid to host the congress, all eyes will be on Kuala Lumpur,” he said, adding that it would also strengthen the country’s bid for the 2019 Asian Games.

He also said that the bid for the IOC event as well as the 2019 Asian Games received full support from the cabinet.

Malaysia lost to Qatar in its bid to host the 2006 Asian Games and did not bid for the 2010 Asian Games, citing the high cost in hosting the event.

China will host the 2010 Asian Games in Gaungzhou while South Korea will host the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. — Bernama