All set for new venue and route
PENANG Starwalk 2017 is celebrating its 40th edition this year with a new route from Gurney Paragon Mall and the grand prize of an all-new Kia Rio in the much anticipated Starwalk Contest.
The over 20,000 walkers are in for loads of fun and excitement as they take to the streets for a familyfriendly morning walk followed by great performances, games and activities.
Touted as one of the most happening annual events in the Pearl of the Orient, Starwalk will be flagged off by Penang Island City Council mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif at 7am tomorrow.
Starting from Gurney Paragon Mall, which is the venue provider under Hunza Properties (Penang) Sdn Bhd, the 7km route will cover the scenic Gurney Drive, Jalan Tanjung Tokong and Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang before heading back to the mall via Jalan Tanjung Tokong.
A few roads will be closed or partially closed for the event. The stretch of Gurney Drive from Jalan Pemenang to its junction with Jalan Tanjung Tokong will be fully closed from 6am.
Jalan Tanjung Tokong will be partially closed from that junction until the Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang junction near Tesco from 6.30am.
All of Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang will also be partially closed from 6.30am. The roads will reopen in stages from 10am.
Take in the sights and sounds along the way while getting some much needed exercise and working up camaraderie with friends and family.
Participants who complete the walk will each receive a certificate of participation and stand a chance to take home amazing prizes totalling RM200,000 in the contest.
And like previous years, the walk would not be complete without the participation of residents from various charitable homes taking part in the ‘Walk With Us’ programme, the charity segment of Starwalk since 2011.
Corporate organisations are enlisted to contribute RM10,000 to a home of their choice.
This year’s contributors are IJM Land Bhd, HNG Capital Sdn Bhd, Keysight Technologies Malaysia Sdn Bhd, DK Leather Seats Sdn Bhd, Mah Sing Foundation and International Trading Profile (M) Sdn Bhd.
Their sponsorships will greatly benefit the Community Aids Service Penang, Prospect Rainbow, Penang Down Syndrome Association (PDSA), St Nicholas Home Penang, Pertubuhan Penyayang Chi Yun Bukit Mertajam Pulau Pinang (Pusat Anak Yatim) and Shan Children’s Home.
Participants can park their vehicles at Gurney Paragon, the parking lots along Gurney Drive after its junction with Jalan Pemenang and other areas nearby.
Some 150 police personnel will be on duty to direct traffic and maintain order. Walkers are advised not to leave any valuables in their vehicles.
Starwalk is organised by Star Media Group Berhad with the cooperation of the Penang Amateur Athletic Association (PAAA). Part of the proceeds from the entry fees are channelled to the PAAA for the promotion of athletics in the state.
Platinum sponsors are YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (YES) and Naza Kia Malaysia Sdn Bhd while the Silver sponsors are Chuan Sin Sdn Bhd (Spritzer), Eastern & Oriental Bhd, F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd, Federal Oats Mills Sdn Bhd, Health4U Solutions Sdn Bhd (BookDoc), Mula Car International Sdn Bhd and Perfect Food Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd.
Platinum sponsors
Staunch supporter YTL Communications is back again for the fifth year with two holiday packages to Tanjung Jara Resort worth RM5,000 each.
Winners will get to unwind at the luxurious resort in Terengganu besides being pampered with complimentary meals and a spa treatment.
There will also be games and exclusive promotions by YES at its booth during Starwalk with more prizes up for grabs.
Walkers can also check out YES’ latest promotions and offers as well as its full range of 4G devices, bundle plans and Internet service plans.
Naza Kia is offering its latest vehicle – the recently launched Kia Rio – as the grand prize in the contest. Designed to optimise style, space and safety, the car is fit for a vibrant lifestyle.
Powered by a 1.4L engine, the car also comes with features such as Vehicle Stability Management, a 51% Advanced High Strength Steel body, six airbags, 60:40 split folding, full flat trunk design, ‘U’-shaped LED DRL, sunroof and 17-inch wheels.
Also, there will be two of Naza’s pace/medical cars with the Starwalk logo making their rounds around the vicinity of the mall.
The sponsor is also calling walkers to take part in its photo contest. Snap a creative photo with the Kia Rio at Naza’s booth and post it on your FB with the hashtag #KIASTARWALK.
Winners stand a chance to win exclusive Kia merchandises, which will be sent to them via courier once they have provided their complete details.
Silver sponsors
Rehydrate and quench your thirst with the newly launched 100Plus Active isotonic drinks courtesy of F&N Beverages. Walkers can look forward to unlimited supply of the refreshing drinks throughout the walk.
The ideal choice of active sportsmen aiming for better optimisation of their performance, 100Plus Active is non-carbonated and rich with Vitamin B3, B6 and B12.
With emphasis on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, bottles of thirst-quenching Spritzer Natural Mineral Water courtesy of Chuan Sin await participants as they return from the walk.
Containing five types of minerals that are essential for good health, Spritzer Natural Mineral Water is extracted from a source 128m underground within a 133.5ha lush tropical rainforest far from contamination.
Participants will not only get urban gardening tips at Starwalk from Eastern & Oriental Berhad (E&O) but also stand the chance to receive urban gardening kit goodie bags of soil, vegetable seeds and effective microorganisms.
All they have to do is be among the first 500 to complete a tutorial lesson conducted by students from the E&O Think Green long-term community programme at its booth.
This is the third consecutive year the lifestyle property developer has stepped forward as a Silver sponsor with a contribution of RM30,000.
Starwalkers will be among the first to sample the two new tasty products of Captain Oats Eazy-Go Instant Oatmeal and Instant Oat Porridge by Federal Oats Mills.
Suitable for those with a busy lifestyle looking for an instant and healthy meal, the products provide consumers 45% to 55% of their daily wholegrain requirement as they contain 70% to 90% wholegrain.
Health4U Solutions is sponsoring its wearable fitness gadgets with the medical, fitness and wellness BookDoc application to reward health enthusiasts for exercising.
Upon reaching different reward tiers, app users will be rewarded with discounts and privileges from participating merchants across various categories.
To connect, one can sync the app to a compatible fitness device, fitness application or smartphone. BookDoc can be downloaded for free from App Store or Google Play.
BookDoc also sponsored 22,000 non-woven bags for the event.
Penang-based MULA Car, a newly launched e-hailing app on mobile devices, is the official ride sharing partner of Starwalk.
The company is giving out 20,000 RM5 vouchers worth RM100,000 for participants to try out its services – Instant Service, Pre-Book Service and Chartered Service.
All the cars are equipped with extra security measures like physical SOS buttons and GPS tracking system for the safety of passengers and drivers.
Perfect Food Manufacturing will be distributing more than 20,000 packs of Julie’s Le-mond Cheddar Cheese Cream Puff Sandwich at Starwalk.
Participants should also check out the company’s booth and grab the special offers and giveaways with purchases.
Meanwhile, first-time sponsor Gurney Paragon Mall is not only providing the venue for the event but is also sponsoring shopping vouchers worth RM20,000.
Participants are assured of plenty to do at the mall after the walk. They can go shopping, enjoy delightful meals and admire the beauty of St Jo’s, which is a popular tourist destination.
Prizes galore
Starwalk has been a resounding success for four decades due to the strong support of sponsors. This year is no exception with contributions pouring in from all sectors.
Hotel stays and meal vouchers are aplenty for lucky recipients to relax and rejuvenate after sweating it out at the walk. Have a great family vacation or romantic getaway.
Contributing are Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, Cititel Penang and Cititel Express, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Dynasty Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Flamingo Hotel By The Beach Penang, Four Points by Sheraton Penang, G Hotel, Hotel Equatorial Penang, Hype Motorsports Hotel and Hotel Jen Penang.
Not forgetting Lexis Hotels & Resorts (Lexis Suites Penang and Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson), Paradise Sandy Beach Resort, Parkroyal Penang Resort, Royal Hotel Penang, Sunway Hotel Penang, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur, St Regis Langkawi, Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur, SwissGarden Beach Resort Damai Laut,