Tour de Langkawi goes on

Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) will go on as planned in 2008, but with a reduced budget. This comes despite news that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) of Malaysia has opened an investigation into financial 'irregularities' in the race organisation. According to reports from the New Strait Times, the continuation of the Malaysian race was given in a statement by Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on Thursday. The race is scheduled to run January 25-February 3.

The statement indicated that the event would be managed by an organising committee under the Sports Ministry to be chaired by Sports Advisory Panel (SAP) chairman Datuk Nik Mahmud Nik Yusof, who this year acted as steering committee chairman, while Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) deputy president Datuk Naim Mohamad will return to act as the race's chief operating officer.

"Right now, it is already a bit late to start the organisation of next year's event, so we have to get moving. We will begin by appointing the relevant consultants and contractors after we set up the organising committee," said Mahmud.