GEORGE TOWN, Nov 27 — The annual Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) is once more under criticism, this time for allegedly poorly organisation and for giving participants expired chocolates at the event yesterday.
Penang Gerakan vice chairman Oh Tong Keong claimed the yearly event was getting worse reviews with each successive event, saying this year’s edition was possibly the most chaotic so far after the three best performers in the junior category were denied a podium presentation of their prizes.
“This international event attracted more than 35,000 runners from all over and even though this is an annual event, each year there are issues with the event including this year,” he said.
Oh claimed the allegedly disorganised nature of the event will tarnish Penang’s reputation globally, and demanded that the state government and the exco in charge, Law Heng Kiang, bear full responsibility.
Among other issues with the event include the issuance of incorrectly sized T-shirts for runners and a two-hour delay for finishers to collect their medals, he said.
“What is even more serious is that the event organiser had distributed expired food to the participants,” Oh claimed.
“Who will be held responsible if something were to happen to the participants who ate the expired food?”
Oh also pressed the state government to explain why the top three runners under the junior category were not allowed to go on the stage to receive their prizes, and instead told to collect their medals from the tents instead.
One of the three, Chuah Wan Yong, 17, said she was not upset that she did not receive her medal on the podium, but was unhappy with how organisers handled the affair.
“When I finished the event, it was not even 7am yet, and I went to ask where I should go to collect my prize, they told us the top three have to go to the stage to receive their prizes,” she said when contacted.
After showering and changing, Chuah again asked about the medal ceremony and was given the same answer.
They were told the same once more, she said, even when the prize-giving was taking place for others. The three teens, who competed in the 10km event, had by then waited for more than four hours.
“We asked them three times and each time they told us to wait at the stage area so we waited for the whole prize giving ceremony, even until they finished handing out the lucky draw and only after that did they tell us to go to the tent to collect our medals,” she said.
“This is an embarrassment and it has clearly hurt the feelings of the winners in the category who are all teenagers,” Oh said.
He explained that the PBIM was introduced when the state was still under Barisan Nasional’s administration, and said the event has steadily deteriorated under the current Pakatan Harapan government.
Participants also took to the PBIM Facebook page to vent their anger and frustration over how the event was run.
Many were especially incensed by the organiser’s failure to address the issues raised during the event or offer explanations after.
“No apology? Sorry but I’m boycotting this event for good. What an embarrassment to Penang for such horrendous organization. Water station closed early, people having trouble having their numbers taken away in feeder bus and person in charge losing their number causing them not being able to get their packages back,” said a Facebook user by the name of Mong Xeng Xuang.
Another Facebook user named Kian Hua Neo claimed the same problems occur with the event each year and said: “That is what I’ve gave up (on) PBIM for years. And until now the organiser still allowing such mistakes to be repeating, this organiser really lousy and incompetence.”
