Malaysia stands proud in MotoGP

WATCHING Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, our country’s rookie MotoGP rider, compete in his first-ever premier class qualifying session at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar on March 18 made me proud to be Malaysian.

I don’t know him personally but I must thank him for what he has done for himself as well as his country.

I am very honoured and proud of Hafizh’s achievement in Doha. It was a historic feat and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would see a Malaysian rider racing in the MotoGP.

I was definitely proud to see the Malaysian flag flying alongside other foreign flags at the circuit that day.

Hafizh’s excellent control of the bike as he competed with senior riders shook me to the core. I could not believe that a Malaysian rider was competing with the big guns of the sport.

Being one of the rookie riders in 2018, he started very well, bagging his first ever premier class points. Immediately after the race, I received a series of congratulations from my local and foreign diplomatic colleagues. I also joined other Malaysians in Doha to congratulate Hafizh after the race. I believe this young Malaysian rider has a bright future in the MotoGP.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to those who have been working hard for his success. These people have shown that with a lot of hard work, focus and good exposure, anything is possible, including becoming a MotoGP rider. This wonderful group has shown that Malaysians could be at par with world professional riders if concerted efforts are teamed up with good tactical development programmes.

Thus, special thanks should go to Hafizh’s father and family for their moral support, Datuk Razlan Razali, CEO of Sepang International Circuit, Tan Sri Mohamed Azman Yahya, chairman of the Motorsports Association of Malaysia and the director of Sepang International Circuit and Petronas for having confidence in and supporting Hafizh.

I believe the biggest success for Hafizh as well as MotoGP in Malaysia was when he was selected to join the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team as its second rider alongside senior rider Johann Zarco of France. It was the best achievement for a Malaysian rider after more than 26 years of Malaysia hosting the MotoGP.

I also believe Hafizh’s success with the highly-recognised international team in MotoGP should be seen as a catalyst for greater achievements in Malaysian sport and its tourism industry. I believe the upcoming Grand Prix motorcycle races would be highly attended by Malaysians and Hafizh’s foreign fans as we know this sport is popular in Malaysia as well as in the region. All Malaysians in Qatar join me to wish Hafizh and team continued success at the next round in Argentina on April 6, 2018.

DATUK AHMAD FADIL SHAMSUDDIN

Ambassador of Malaysia to Qatar

Doha