Subang Jaya, 28` February 2017 - Salcon Berhad today announced that its subsidiary Circlic Interactive Tourism Sdn. Bhd. (Circlic) has entered into a Joint Venture (JV) Agreement with Shenzhen Wisdom Sports Industry Co. Ltd (SWSI) to form a JV company namely Wisdom Sports (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Wisdom) to organize an international marathon in Malaysia, under The Belt and Road Marathon Series (BRMS).This is a Belt and Road initiative of Chinese Athletic Association (CAA), a governing body of athletic sports in China, to promote people to people bond and cultural exchanges between China and over 60 countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe. The Belt & Road initiative is an important vision and initiative of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China. Wisdom aims to develop the sports tourism business in Malaysia and the ASEAN region, leveraging on the mass market of China.
SWSI shall hold 55% of the joint venture company, Wisdom, while Circlic the remaining 45%. SWSI is a wholly-owned company of Wisdom Sports Group Limited, a public listed company in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Wisdom Sports is the largest marathon operator and sports marketing company in China.
The BRMS to be held in Malaysia in October this year will be known as the One Belt One Road Marathon Malaysia (OBOR). OBOR is presented and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC), with the objective of promoting sports tourism and cultural exchanges in Malaysia, especially with China. Malaysia is the first country chosen to host the Belt and Road Marathon Series, which is expected to be held in Kuala Lumpur on October 1st this year. Wisdom shall organize and operate the OBOR event, with the support from MOTAC.
“The BRMS serves as a great platform to connect people around the world through sports tourism,” says Dato’ Ngiam Foon, CEO of Circlic Interactive Tourism Sdn Bhd. “It gives me great pleasure to be able to work with Wisdom Sports Group in creating better understanding, connectivity and cooperation with China and other countries via this international sports event.”
“We targeted Malaysia as the first country to hold our first international marathon event under the Belt and Road Marathon Series due to the strong ties between Malaysia and China. We have received strong governmental support for the Malaysia BRMS event and we look forward to a successful event in October this year.” said Mr. Zhang Han, CEO of SWSI and the Vice Chairman of Wisdom Sports Group. Wisdom Sports Group business includes advertising services, organization and management of sports-related competitions and other marketing events, program production and related services in China. The company has successfully operated over 100 marathon events in major cities such as Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai. It also owns a large database of 20 million Chinese marathon runners with over 2 million marathon event participants. The company has been appointed by the Chinese Athletic Association (CAA) to operate the Belt and Road Marathon Series (BRMS), exclusively in China and globally.