STATE Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai today officially handed over the Penang flag to five athletes from the Penang Forward Sports Club (PFSC) who are set to take part in the 2024 C&D Xiamen Marathon this Sunday.
The Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) organising chairman said while this won’t be the first time PFSC athletes represent Penang in a prestigious marathon, it marks their debut in Xiamen, China.
“We are confident that our athletes can produce excellent results in this international marathon,” Wong told a press conference at Komtar.
The five athletes from PFSC, namely Lim Kok Leong, Tee Aik Chuan, Azanis Azamin, Lee Chee Keong, and Christopher Soosai, a participant in the World Half Marathon Championship (Riga 2023), will be among 30,000 participants in the 42km marathon.
They will be accompanied by former marathon runners, Datuk Khoo Kay Seong, a participant in the 2018 Berlin Marathon, and Lim Choo Hooi, who took part in the 2015 Tokyo Marathon.
Lim, who is also the PFSC chairman, expressed his gratitude to Wong and the state government for their unwavering support. He hoped that his athletes would give their best performance during the marathon this Sunday.
Additionally, Wong announced his intention to observe the marathon during his official visit to Xiamen from Jan 5 to 7.
He intends to seize the opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties between the sister cities of Penang and Xiamen as well as to promote and introduce tourist attractions and destinations in Penang to the tourism industries in Xiamen.
During his visit, Wong plans to visit Xiamen Airline’s headquarters, to discuss the potential increase in flights from Penang to Xiamen.
“Currently, there are only three flights a day from Penang to Xiamen. However, through the visit, I hope we can increase the frequency of flights between the sister cities. Moreover, flights to Xiamen also open up access to various destinations within China, as Xiamen Airlines operates flights to most parts of China.
“This visit is not only crucial for strengthening Penang’s relationship with Xiamen and China, but it also commemorates the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relationship. Therefore, it serves as a pivotal factor in solidifying our bilateral ties with China,” Wong said.
Also present were Penang-Xiamen Friendship Association chairman Datuk Hwang Thean Long and secretary Datuk Loh Nam Hooi, and members from Penang-Xiamen Friendship Association and Penang Forward Sports Club.
Story by Norman Sim
Pix by Muhamad Adil Muhamad