The organisers of the Kuala Lumpur City Grand Prix, set to take place from August 7 to 9, have yet to apply for a license to hold the unprecedented event from the Sports Commissioner’s Office.
Despite the increasing publicity on the race, which will take place throughout downtown KL in a similar vein to races held in Monaco and Singapore, organisers GT Global Race (M) Sdn Bhd have yet to acquire a license to hold it from the SC.
Vijhay Vick of the Malay Mail print edition reports that failure to do so on the organiser’s part could result in a violation of the Sports Development Act 1997, which carries a fine of up to RM5,000, a jail term, or both.
When contacted, Sports Commissioner Zaton Othman said she was unaware of any application for the racing event having been submitted to her office.
“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.”
The KL City Grand Prix might have gotten a co-sign from another arm of the Federal Government, however, as Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had reportedly toured parts of the inner-city track on Wednesday.
Khairy was accompanied on his walkabout tour by GT Global Race ambassador Alex Yoong, GT Global Race chairman Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar, GT Global Race chief executive officer M Arrasu and race technical director Simon Gardini.
Khairy, who is currently away in the United States, could not be reached for comment by the Malay Mail.
GT Global Race CEO Arrasu said he was not aware that the event needed a license from the Sports Commission.
“If needed we will put in an application,” he said.
Zaiton cited the example of Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd (SIC), an organiser of similar racing events, being a prompt applicant for race licenses for events such as the annual Formula One races in Sepang.
“SIC makes applications to us all the time even for Formula One and we have given our approval,” she said.
Yesterday, concerns were raised over the KL City Grand Prix and its preparations in the run up to the event which will take place in a little over two weeks, particularly in regards to the safety of spectators, who will be separated from the action on the road by only concrete barricades.
Questions were also raised over how traffic in downtown KL, already notorious for its gridlock, would cope with a supercar race running through major roads in the city.
Others still expressed skepticism over GT Global Race’s lacklustre attempts to promote the event, and how the race would contribute to Malaysia’s tourism industry.
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