MITEC TO HOST NINE SPORTS
PM hopes national athletes will win gold medals
TASNIM LOKMAN nstsport@nst.com.my
THE newly launched Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) will host nine sports in the Sea Games and Asean Para Games.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said among the sports that will take place at the venue are rhythmic gymnastics, weightlifting, fencing and indoor hockey.
“We will watch gold medal hopefuls such as paddler Ng Sock Khim, gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi and Tan Ing Yueh, and the men’s and women’s indoor teams vie for gold medals at MITEC,” said Najib in his blog yesterday. “And following the magnificent performances of our paralympians in Rio last year, we will certainly be cheering them on to add to their tally at next month’s Asean Para Games.” In his Twitter posting on Tuesday, Najib said Malaysians will get to see their heroes in the upcoming competition at the venue.
“We will soon watch @KL2017 Malaysian gold medal hopefuls vie for victory in MITEC,” he said.
Najib officially opened the RM628 million building on Tuesday.
MITEC, which was developed by the Naza Group property arm, Naza TTDI Sdn Bhd, is the first component of the RM20 billion, 30.55ha KL Metropolis project, launched in October, 2011.
Naza Corporation Holdings, via its subsidiary, Prisma Galery Sdn Bhd, has also received the concessionaire licence to operate and manage the facility from the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation.
It is currently the largest exhibition space in the country with a gross floor area of 1.5 million sq ft, featuring 11 exhibition halls across three levels, a multi-purpose hall, meeting and conference rooms, media and press facilities, lounges, restaurants, and food outlets.
The exhibition centre can accommodate 47,700 visitors in theatre-style seating and 28,000 guests in a banquet arrangement at any one time.