KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — The Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) is preparing to open up the sector in phases, as outlined in the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) submitted to the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS).
According to a statement issued by MAM yesterday, the SOP includes holding races behind closed doors with no spectators and limiting the number of participants.
MAM president Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir said the association is positive that the KBS would fully support its motion to allow motorsport competition to resume as soon as the recovery movement control order (RMCO) is lifted.
"We welcome the government’s decision to initially allow non-competitive motorsport activities to run during the RMCO. Just like other sports, we have to carefully design an SOP specific to our sport, put it through a trial run, modify it if necessary before we reopen race circuits for track days and then the competition.
"Pending approvals from KBS, National Security Council and Health Ministry, we hope to have a full schedule of competition back in the calendar as early as September," he said.
The motorsports community is eager to get going but fully understands and appreciates the government’s concerns in wanting to avoid a surge of Covid-19 infections, he said after meeting the Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, here.
Mokhzani emphasised that as a non-contact sport, motorsport competition operates in an open-air facility in which organisers have very good control over the environment they operate in.
He added that circuits will be under strict access control to ensure every step is taken to maintain a Covid-19-free environment, and full cooperation from the motorsports community will be required to ensure the success of the SOP.
"We are grateful to have strong support from the ministry. We will present a video of a mock event to the ministry to show how the SOP would look like in practice. A practical, enforceable SOP that will ensure safe track usage as well as adhere to good health practices is what we are targeting," he said.
— Bernama
