Olympics Torch Run KL Leg

21st April 2008, with 109 days before 8th August 2008, Kuala Lumpur played host to the 29th Summer Olympic Torch Run. It is a great occasion and priviledge for Kuala Lumpur, to be selected as one of the cities where the torch is brought around.

Today, 80 torch bearers, including Sultan Azlan Shah (who jogged under a heavy rain), brought the torch around various parts of KL, from Dataran Merdeka to Stadium Merdeka to KL Tower and then to Petronas Twin Tower.

I was thinking of running, but then in the end, I didn't run. I just went to KLCC to see the closing ceremony. It was very packed, but sadly the bulk of those who bothered to attend are those students from China. Easily, 80-90% of those attending (except for police, officers etc) are from China. They showed their patriotism, with flags pasted/painted on their face, and also some carried huge China's flag. They were shouting "Jia You, Beijing" and "Jia You, China" too in Mandarin!

I am just wondering where are all the KLites. It is at a very convenient place at Petronas Twin Tower, but somehow fellow Malaysians just don't care and don't bother to show up. Maybe the rain could be a reason, but why aren't we be patriotic and come forward to cheer for our country.

When the VIP from China Olympic Committee shouted Malaysia Boleh, there was no reaction from the crowd and that happened at Petronas Twin Tower and it is a huge shame.

Also, the organizing committee seemed quite unprepared. The souvenirs to be presented was not ready when the name was read. Some of the recipients somehow didn't go up stage or seemed blurred. And our KL Mayor gave prizes at the stage one level lower than where China's Ambassador is. I'm not sure whether that's the protocol or it is a misplan. It just looked wierd.

And after it was over, Putra LRT definitely is not ready to take care of the crowd. It was huge bottleneck. Just wish we had done better in this.



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