STARTING now, organisers of sports events, including races, in Penang must seek approval for the events from the Youth and Sports exco’s office.

Youth and Sports exco Chong Eng said this new ruling was to ensure the safety of all and to prevent participants from being duped.

“Those who want to organise sports events must write to the state to inform the authorities of the programmes and get approval from my office.

“We will liaise with the relevant departments to check on the organisers.

“Only programmes acknowledged by the exco’s office will be allowed to use the state logo for the events,” she said today.

The ruling came following complaints that the organiser of last Saturday night’s Neon Street Run did not hold a technical meeting with the Penang Island City Council and relevant departments before the event.

Chong said such meetings with the authorities were compulsory for all sports events in Penang to ensure safety and coordination.

“The event was privately organised without the acknowledgement of any state department or agency. We received reports that participants were exposed to dangerous traffic. 

“Some were also unhappy and felt they were cheated after paying RM60 for registration and a RM50 incentive fee.

“They claimed they did not get their race pack, race apparel and medals as promised. They only got certificates of participation.”

The run was organised at the Penang Botanic Gardens. Some 7,000 people took part in the event.

The Malaysian Insight could not reach the organiser for comment. Calls to the mobile number listed in the event’s website went unanswered.

However, the event’s Facebook page shows the organiser is trying to send the medals to the runners who had not collected them after the race.

“People who’re no get the finishing medals at event day, pls pm us your name . We’ll resend to runner by courier,” the page administrator wrote in broken English yesterday. – May 17, 2017.