Malaysia jittery over Singapore F1 roar

Malaysia jittery over Singapore F1 roar
By Jose Raymond, TODAY | Posted: 27 March 2007 1055 hrs


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While Singapore has been caught up in the excitement of trying to bring Formula 1 (F1) racing to its shores, there has barely been a squeak on the subject from its northern neighbour, which has hosted its own leg of the event since 1999.

In a candid interview with Today, Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman Said finally broke her country's silence — and admitted she was worried by the developments.

Quite simply, she does not want F1 engines to roar in Singapore.

"Singapore should be bidding for different kinds of sports and not the same events which Malaysia is already hosting," said Ms Azalina, who was on a visit to Desaru last Friday.

"Likewise, Malaysia should be investing in international events which Singapore does not host."

Ms Azalina's remarks are bound to raise eyebrows, since she freely admitted that the glitzy event rakes in a tidy sum for her country. Malaysia earns between RM300 million and RM400 million ($132 million to $176 million) a year by hosting the Grand Prix, said a spokesman for its national sports council.

And since Singapore is not bidding for the event at the expense of Sepang — it is trying to net one of three extra slots as F1 plans to increase the number of races from 17 to 20 — shouldn't it have a shot at boosting its own revenues through the Grand Prix?

Even Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chairman Mokhzani Mahathir felt that both countries would benefit by hosting their own races.

Singaporean bidders, like hotelier and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, are in talks with Formula One Management (FOM) to stage the event here from next year, and the Government is looking at supporting the venture. Details are still being ironed out.

In her interview with this newspaper, Ms Azalina made it clear that the stakes for Malaysia are high — and so are the rewards.

"Malaysia is on the world map because of F1," said Ms Azalina, 44, who became Malaysia's youngest minister when she was appointed the country's Youth and Sports Minister in March 2004.

"The benefits to Malaysia have been many. We have gained economically through the investment and it is estimated that at every race, about 600 million people worldwide tune into the race at Sepang."

In fact, thrilled by the blaze of publicity, Malaysia has signed an extension to host the race until 2010 and Ms Azalina revealed that she met F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in London recently to discuss if it could continue staging the event until 2015.

But a hint of what could be worrying her can be found in the ever-increasing fees Malaysia has had to pay FOM for the hosting rights.

When Sepang first staged the event in 1999, it paid US$25 million ($38 million) to FOM. This year it had to pay US$55 million and the figure could continue rising over the years. Given these costs, Ms Azalina is worried that some visitors may give Malaysia a miss if a similar event is staged in next-door Singapore.

Other observers felt, however, that a second Grand Prix in the region could give both countries the opportunity to attract tourists twice over.

"Anyway, if the Singapore Grand Prix is on, the schedule will be different," said Mr Mokhzani, the SIC chairman.

"Ours could be maintained as it is now (in April) — after Australia and before F1 moves to Bahrain and Europe — while Singapore could be towards the end of the calendar, around September, grouped with the China and Japan legs, with probably another leg in Abu Dhabi."

Meanwhile, SIC sales and sponsorship manager Izuddin Rosli pointed out that Sepang was already gaining by having Singapore in its neighbourhood as nearly 24,000 fans from the Republic — almost half the total number of international visitors expected — will be making their way to Malaysia for next week's race.

Added Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Teo Ser Luck: "If the race does come to Singapore's streets, then both Singapore and Malaysia will be pressed to make their own race, and the experience, better than the other and of higher quality.

"Ultimately, it will be the F1 fan and consumers that benefit." -TODAY/na