Failure to comply with SOP: KBS wants detailed report from motorsports organiser

KEPALA BATAS: The Youth and Sports Ministry will hold a meeting with a motorsport organiser to get a detailed report on the failure to ensure spectators complied with COVID-19 prevention standard operating procedures (SOP) at an event at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Selangor last night.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the purpose of next week's meeting was for the good of sports and to ensure that last night's incident did not happen again.

"I regret what happened in Sepang yesterday and I have asked the organiser, the SIC management and also the sports commissioner, who issued permission (for the event), to review yesterday's incident to be a lesson in organising future events," he told reporters here today.

"What I am not satisfied with is ... the SOP is there, but the monitoring and enforcement of the SOP failed. So I want things to be really tightened and I want to urge all sports organisers, fans and supporters to set an example in complying with the SOP," he added.

In SEPANG, KLIA District police chief ACP Imran Abd Rahman had said that the organiser was compounded RM20,000 for failure to comply with the SOP.

In KUALA LUMPUR, SIC in a statement said it had no involvement in the failure to comply with the SOP.

The organiser, MUSC Motorsports, in a statement posted on their Facebook page, also confirmed that they were compounded for failing to run the drag racing event as required under the new norms.

MUSC Motorsports also apologised and took full responsibility for the debacle.

-- BERNAMA