‘Rise together’ for the Games

KUALA LUMPUR: As the 29th SEA Games and 9th Asean Para Games are around the corner, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants Malaysians to rise together for their country.

“Negaraku, Bangkit Bersama” (My country, rise together) was what he signed on a “pledge car” at Naza Tower here after completing the Kuala Lumpur 2017 Torch Run yesterday.

The public has the chance to write messages on the Peugeot 208, which was contributed by Naza Malaysia, as a show of support for the national athletes competing in both Games.

The run began at 9am after Najib received the torch from Petronas CEO Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin at the entrance to KLCC.

About 200 participants followed Najib as he ran with the torch towards Naza Tower in Jalan Binjai, passing through Traders Hotel, where he was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

At Naza Tower, he handed over the torch to former javelin national record holder Norsham Yoon to be taken to the KL Tower for a base jump.

Sporty spirit: Najib with (from left) SM Nasarudin and Naza Group of Companies joint group executive chairman SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin at the Kuala Lumpur 2017 Torch Run. — Bernama

 

Among those who ran with Najib were Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Naza Group CEO SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin and Naza TTDI Group managing director SM Faliq SM Nasimuddin.

National athletes Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari and former badminton champion Foo Kok Keong also joined the run.

Today, the torchbearers will run a 7.5km route from the Tenaga Nasional Berhad headquarters to Ajinomoto (M) Bhd. Tomorrow the torch will be taken from SMK Segambut Jaya to Tesco Kepong, and from Tunku Abdul Rahman University College to Wangsa Walk on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the torch will be exhibited at KL Tower from noon to 3pm, and the next day it will be taken through Putrajaya, where activities will take place for two days.

The KL 2017 Torch Run began on May 13 and is expected to be completed by Saturday ahead of the SEA Games from Aug 19 to 30 and the Asean Para Games from Sept 17 to 23.

Royal boost: Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (centre, holding the torch) participating in the Selangor leg of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games Torch Run. Tengku Amir carried the torch over one kilometre from the Universiti Selangor campus at 4.30pm before arriving 45 minutes later at the Universiti Teknologi Mara campus yesterday. He then handed the torch to Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. Tengku Amir was accompanied by his sister, Tengku Zatashah. — Bernama