[Ada sedikit kesilapan di dalam siaran AWAL rencana ini mengenai kos Litar Sepang. Ia berharga 75 juta - tetapi tidak disebut oleh rencana asalnya dalam matawang apa. Besar kemungkinan $75 juta dolar Amerika dan bukan *RM 75 juta yang dicatat sebelum ini. Menurut yellowpages, nilainya *RM 286 juta. Sila maklum dan rujuk laman berikut: http://www.yellowpages.com.my/sepang_f1/sepang_fact.htm - Editor]

PENAJA BERLUMBA KERANA PEMBELI TIKET TIADA

Sudah tingga; 4 hari lagi untuk perlumbaan grand prix tetapi tiket yang terjual sebelum sampai sepertiga lagi. Keresahan sudah terbayang dan jari mula dituding untuk mencari kesalahan orang. Industri perhotelan dikatakan sebagai punca kemerosotan tetapi pihak terbabit telahpun menafikannya. Hanya 30% hotel dipenuhi pengunjung tempatan pada musim perlumbaan pada tahun 1999 dan 2000.

Menurut analis, pihak pengurusan sepatutnya mendekati kelab motor tempatan dan mengadakan promosi yang lebih agresif dari awal. Itu tidak dilaksanakan mungkin kerana sudah tidak berwang. Maklum sajalah, sudah dua tahun ia rugi menganjurkan pesta yang menekan minyak di dalam geram.

SATU BILION PENONTON MENYAKSIKAN KEMALUAN

Tahun lepas SIC rugi RM22 juta. Tahun ini tentunya lebih banyak lagi kerana pengunjung semakin kurang. Dunia akan menyaksikan satu perlumbaan dengan kerusi lebih banyak dari orang. Tidakkah ini amat memalukan? Bukan sedikit yang akan memerhati kerusi yang tidak bertuan ini - tetapi satu bilion penonton televisyen di seluruh dunia. Inilah satu tamparan yang amat memalukan bapa perlumbaan malaysia yang berwawasan. Mungkin penonton Jepun akan bergelak ketawa bagaimana Mahathir mahu mengajar Jepun menguruskan ekonomi jika menguruskan litar lumba pun tunggang langgang? Malah memasarkan kereta pun masih takut kepada saingan sehingga mengenakan duti untuk memusnahkan saingan sebegitu sakan.

LITAR *RM 286 JUTA MEMANG BERGUNA?

Mahathir mahu menonjolkan industri kereta buatan Malaysia di litar perlumbaan sebab itulah dia beria-ria membina litar yang berharga *RM 286 juta itu. Tetapi apa yang bakal berlaku nanti akan menonjolkan sesuatu di luar wawasan. Kerana Malaysia 'Boleh' akan diketawakan kerana menganjurkan perlumbaan dalam keadaan semakin lengang. Dan kontrek yang diperolehi selama 8 tahun lagi itu pasti mengerikan sesiapa sahaja untuk menjadi pembekal wang. Kecanggihan dan seni bina litar perlumbaan bukan penentu satu-satu kejayaan - tetapi kecekapan mengurus dan memasarkan produklah penentu kejayaan. Malangnya itu tidak ada dalam industri berwawasan Mahathir kerana kepentingan kroni melebihi segala keutamaan. Dia kemaruk berbelanja sehingga menjahanamkan dana untuk mengirim negara terkandas di dalam hutang alang-alang mahu menang perlumbaan bernama kemajuan.

Nampaknya berjasa juga litar Sepang berharga *RM 286 juta itu. Ia mendedahkan kepada dunia betapa satu lagi projek yang 'berwawasan' ciptaan Mahathir sendiri akan menjatuhkan maruahnya tanpa reformis perlu berbuat apa-apa. Mungkin ada yang akan menyiarkan gambar kerusi kosong itu dengan wajah Mahathir yang tersiar di Asiaweek itu.

-TJr Kapal Berita-

Source: The Asian Wall Street Journal
13th March 2001

Malaysian Grand Prix Stalls As Fans Pass Up Tickets

By LESLIE LOPEZ Staff Reporter

KUALA LUMPUR -- Promoters say more than a billion television viewers world-wide will tune in this weekend for the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix. But unless a miracle occurs, empty seats - and lots of them - will be the backdrop to the fast cars at Malaysia's Sepang racetrack.

With four days to go before the Formula One race, the second leg of the Formula One season, which began March 4 and runs until October 14, the Malaysian promoters have sold less than one-third of the 94,000 tickets printed. The enthusiasm of corporate sponsors also seems to have waned over the past two years, and the event's organizers are bracing for a huge loss.

But why is Malaysia's high-profile tourist attraction - which last year brought in an estimated US$130 million in tourism income - turning into a major letdown?

Formula One promoter, Sepang International Circuit, blames local hotels, which it says have pushed up room rates by as much as 300% and has imposed stiff penalties for cancellations. Rosman Abdullah, a director at Sepang International Circuit, also notes that ticket sales aren't as brisk because the last race Malaysia hosted was just five months ago. That contest was the season's closing event, where spectator support is traditionally at its peak.

Tourism industry executives tell a different story. The Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners denies claims of overcharging. Its president, Mohamed Khadar Merican, says that room charges by Malaysian hotels are at the same level as during the Formula One race last year. Room rates aren't "the main factor causing the poor response to this year's event," he said. What's more, Kuala Lumpur hotels are enjoying high occupancy rates, he says.

Several travel industry executives pin the blame for this year's poor turnout squarely on Sepang International Circuit, which they say failed to understand the Formula One market. Sepang International Circuit was banking on affluent European fans' willingness to travel long distances to watch the races rather than focusing its marketing efforts on local auto-racing enthusiasts, some executives say.

"It is slack marketing for a complex sport," says a chief executive of a major sponsor of the event. He notes the decision to move Malaysia up the race schedule - hosting the race early in the season rather than at the end - was known in advance. He says the excuse that races early in the season don't attract huge crowds rings hollow because the Australian Grand Prix, which kicked off this year's Formula One season in Melbourne two weeks ago, attracted a sellout crowd.

The Formula One circuit is contested over 17 races, ending in Japan. Besides Malaysia, the circuit includes Brazil, San Marino, Spain, Austria, Monaco, Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., Hungary, Belgium, Italy and U.S.

Since the Malaysian race was moved up, travel industry executives say Kuala Lumpur should have aggressively marketed the race in Asia to fill the vacuum created by the no-show fans from Europe, who traditionally join the circuit after the Easter holiday in late March or April. Officials also gripe that very little has been done to generate local interest. A chief executive of a Malaysian hotel chain estimates that locals accounted for only 30% of the 1999 and 2000 races, which each attracted crowds of about 88,000 people.

To drum up last-minute support for the event, the Sepang International Circuit has decided to play hardball. The organizers have canceled the planned live telecast with Malaysia of the Sunday race, hoping to draw fans to the racetrack instead. "We spent a lot of money to stage the event," Sepang International Circuit Chairman Basir Ismail was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times. "So if Malaysians want to watch the race live, they can buy a ticket and watch it here."

Formula One events generally are a boon for the host country, benefiting everyone from hotel owners, to tour companies, to makers of earplugs. But the Sepang International Circuit, which is controlled by the Malaysian government, hasn't been a profitable venture.

The organizer incurred a loss of 22 million ringgit ($5.8 million) on last year's race, Sepang International Circuit officials say. A loss this year wouldn't be good news for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, an auto-racing enthusiast who lobbied for Malaysia to stage the event.

A leader with a penchant for large projects, Dr. Mahathir's administration sponsored the construction of the $75 million Sepang track, which is located next to Malaysia's new airport. Dr. Mahathir envisioned the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix not just as a tourist attraction, but as a springboard to promote Malaysia's event-management industry and boost the country's struggling services sector. The race was also meant to showcase Malaysia's Proton car, a brainchild of Dr. Mahathir. The Proton has yet to become competitive and survives largely on import protections.

Despite the setbacks this year, Sepang International Circuit officials are upbeat about the long-term prospects of Formula One. They say the Formula One Administrator, which decides who can host the event, has extended its contract with Malaysia for five more years, meaning Sepang International Circuit will continue to host the race until 2010. "We are going through a learning curve. This is a long-term business proposition," says Sepang International Circuit's Mr. Rosman.