More complaints on Penang Bridge run

Annual international marathon plagued by endless grouses from participants

GEORGE TOWN: Days after the Penang Bridge International Marathon, the annual event is again plagued by a slew of complaints, and state officials are remaining coy over the grouses.

The complaints ranged from insufficient medals to participants being given unsuitable T-shirt sizes and expired chocolates.

Since Sunday’s marathon, dissatisfied participants have taken to social media to vent their frustrations.

This year, the marathon, jointly organised by the state government with several organisations, attracted 35,000 participants to its four categories – 42km full marathon, 21km half-marathon, 10km run and 8km Fun Run.

A major draw on the state’s tourism calendar, the event has been held since 1984.

Tan Jes Lynn, 27, from Kedah, said the participants were confused during the medal collection as they had finished the run on time but were told that there were no more medals left.

“My friends and I came all the way for it. We completed the run but some of my friends left empty-handed,” Tan said when contacted yesterday.

Afiq Azul, 33, from Kuala Lumpur, said he waited 45 minutes at the Queensbay Mall parking lot to collect the race kit.

“When we did get our T-shirts, most of them were not of the right size. They gave me XS when I wanted S. When I declined, they told me they could only offer me previous years’ T-shirts,” he said.

He claimed that other participants also had the same experience, with some being given XS when they needed M, L or XL.

Simitha Thuraisingam ( pic), 28, also from Kuala Lumpur, said she and her friends waited for nearly three hours to get their medals and that they were not given water after they finished the run.

“We were all tired and thirsty when we reached the finish line but there was no water for us. All we saw were empty boxes for mineral water and 100PLUS,” she said.

When asked about the issue during a trip to visit fire victims in Jelutong, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng directed the press to state tourism committee chairman Danny Law. However, Law could not be reached for comment.

State Gerakan vice-chairman Oh Tong Keong said the “poor organisation has brought shame to Penang”.

“This is supposed to be a marathon of international standards; it’s not a cross-country fun run,” he said at a press conference.

Oh said he hoped Law would give a public explanation on the matter.

“Law had said previously that they would improve on the weaknesses. In 2014, they changed the venue, quoting lack of preparation time.

“In 2015, there was a lack of bot- tled water supply, and last year, they changed the event time, inconveniencing international participants who had bought air tickets,” he said.

Gerakan Batu Uban constituency coordinator Dr Kiew Hen Chong, who was present at the conference, said the participants paid to join the event, so the organisers had the responsibility to make it worth their while.

“We understand that each participant paid RM80 and with the food, drinks and T-shirts paid for by sponsors, the organisers collected about RM3mil from the run,” he said.

“But where has the money gone if not to make the event better?”