DR MAHATHIR HONOURED
SIC recognise Tun’s contributions with a Lifetime Achievement award
PRIME Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was honoured for his contributions in motorsports at the Petronas-Sepang International Circuit (SIC)-Motorsports Association of Malaysia Awards in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Dr Mahathir was handed the Lifetime Achievement award because of his passion for the automotive industry which is well documented as the driving force behind Proton, the nation’s first national car.
Proton, over the years, had also carved out a strong presence in motorsports, achieving commendable feats in rallying and touring car racing.
SIC chief executive officer Datuk Razlan Razali said it was Dr Mahathir who sparked the growth of motorsports in the country.
“Dr Mahathir is the person responsible for the spark that started the evolution of modern day motorsports in Malaysia,” said Razlan.
There were no surprises in the other awards as Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, who last year became Southeast Asia's first-ever rider in MotoGP, bagged the Petronas International Rider of the Year award while Jazeman Jaafar took the Petronas International Driver of the Year crown.
Jazeman led the nation's charge in the World Endurance Championship with Nabil Jeffri and Weiron Tan. The trio became the first-ever Malaysians to win a race in the series, achieved at the Fuji round in October.