KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) today confirmed that Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, the organisers of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2022, has sent an official request for the race to be postponed to the third week of June.

Youth and Sports Department director-general Mohd Azhari Mohammad said the company had presented three justifications to postpone the race with Pro Series status to be held from June 18-26. The race tour was originally supposed to take place from March 3 to 10.

This is following a recent surge in Covid-19 cases, with the emergence and spread of the Omicron variant globally especially worrying, as well as the requirement to undergo mandatory quarantine, in particular for individuals from countries of risk listed by the Health Ministry.

Mohd Azhari said the company also stated the need to restructure its marketing and commercialisation strategy, including broadcasting rights so as not to overlap with races in Europe.

"To ensure this (postponement) request is discussed in detail and comprehensively, KBS has scheduled the LTdL 2022 Implementation Committee Meeting on January 27, which will also involve the National Cycling Federation of Malaysia (MNCF) as the sport’s national governing body and Human Voyage.

"This meeting is to discuss and find a point of understanding by taking into account the importance of the meet and public health risk assessment,” he said in a statement issued by KBS.

Mohd Azhari stressed that organising LTdL 2022 was a commitment undertaken by the ministry with the aim of turning Malaysia into an international sporting destination, but at the same time giving priority to the importance of public health.

Yesterday, the MNCF asked KBS to take urgent action to resolve the problems pertaining to the organisation of LTdL 2022, while also claiming that Human Voyage had tried to change the date of the race tour without its knowledge. — Bernama