KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF) is determined to revive plans to establish the Asian BMX Centre of Excellence, a proposal initially suggested 10 years ago.
This initiative has become a top priority for newly appointed MNCF president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill who discussed the regional centre during a recent UCI executive committee meeting in Switzerland.
The idea was originally put forth by the late former president Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab, who proposed either Melaka or Selangor as potential locations for the centre in 2014.
Back then, Malaysia aimed to have BMX riders participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles as a key outcome of establishing the centre.
Unfortunately, the plan did not come to fruition due to various reasons.
“The establishment of the Asian BMX Centre of Excellence was discussed at the recent UCI executive committee meeting.
“Essentially, UCI has agreed to select Malaysia as the location for the BMX Centre of Excellence.
“Johor has been chosen as the site for the construction of the centre.
“All necessary work has been presented, and I have already met with the World Cycling Centre director regarding this establishment.
As the next step, Amarjit plans to present the proposal for the construction of this centre to the Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
“I will discuss this matter with the minister. I believe that building the Asian BMX Centre of Excellence can position Malaysia as a major force in the BMX discipline in the future,” he added.
Previously, the World Cycling Centre for Asia in Jakarta, Indonesia, was established in 2016.
The establishment of the centre was part of the UCI’s efforts to enhance cycling development in Asia and provide support to national federations and athletes in the region. – October 15, 2024