Just a month ago, our team listened to an official at the National Sports Council of Malaysia where he expressed his concern about admitting eSports as a sport, despite positive affirmation from the newly appointed twenty-something Minister of Youth & Sports.
When the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) announced two days ago, all media channels were in a frenzy announcing this latest news about eSports admitted as an official medal sport in SEA Games 2019. On 28 November 2018 at a event in Manila, David Tse, global eSports director from Hong Kong-listed, Singapore-founded gaming computer and accessory maker Razer must have taken great pleasure in being the man who had the opportunity to announce an historical moment. Singapore-based Razer is the official eSports partner of the PHISGOC and is among those who led the bid to bring eSports to the 2019 games, also taking on the role of sponsorships and marketing as well as choosing the games that will appeal to the SEA community.
Mobile Legends Bang Bang from Chinese publisher Moonton is the only game confirmed so far, with another 5 games to be announced breaking it down into two mobile, two PC, and two console games. What will be most interesting is to witness how and what games will be selected since they are the ones who will benefit MOST. We read that the games will also need to comply with International Olympic Committee (IOC) values and a stress that it should not promote violence or gambling. It will be on the onus on Razer to work with the games publishers to finalise the games for SEA Games 2019, confirmed in an email correspondence with Channel News Asia.
What needs to be brought forward is Philippine’s ambition to host the 2030 Asian Games, as announced by its Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. In a bid to remain not just relevant but as the No. 1 tourism destination in the region, Cayetano, chairman of the 2019 Southeast ASEAN Games had said that they are already building a world-class athletic coliseum and stadium, as well as aquatics stadium.
TRIBUNSTYLE.COM – Pesta olahraga terbesar Asia, Asian Games 2018 resmi dibuka, Sabtu petang 18 Agustus 2018, digelar di Jakarta dan Palembang, namun opening ceremony digelar di Stadion Gelora Bung Karno Jakarta.
Meanwhile in Indonesia, Erick Thohir, the chairman of the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee said, “Personally, as partners of the Philippines, I’m really sure that the next step for the Philippines can be hosting the Asian Games in 2030,”.
Jakarta and Palembang recently hosted the Asian Games in September 2018 and was powered by over 30,000 volunteers with only 3-years to prepare for the games.
Hangzhou, China will host the games in 2022, and thereafter, Nagoya, Japan in 2026.
#Move8 Fitness Movement encourages anyone and everyone to move it
In the spirit of celebrating diversity this Malaysia Day, people from all walks of life are invited to move it at the premier #Move8 for Malaysia Day 7KM Walkathon held in conjunction with the KL Car Free Morning on 16 September 2018 flagging off from Dataran DBKL in the capital city.
Pronounced as “Move It”, #Move8 Fitness Movement (www.move8.org) encourages people of all ages to start moving. The World Health Organisation has determined that Malaysia has the highest obesity rate among its regional neighbours. It’s no wonder as Malaysian food is simply irresistible but it’s so rich in carbohydrates that Malaysians need to move it more in order to stay healthy!
#Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon at the KL Car Free Morning 7KM route – www.klcarfreemorning.com
The #Move8 Walkathon series will be held quarterly kicking off on Malaysia Day, 16 September 2018. 7KM is equivalent to 10,000 steps, the recommended minimum number of steps one needs to take daily to achieve optimum health (estimated duration to complete the walkathon is 90-minutes). Some of the most popular streets in Kuala Lumpur capital city of Malaysia will be closed off to traffic during KL Car Free Mornings and the road will be shared between runners, walkers, cyclists, skaters alike! Enjoy the sights of old and new KL city as you’ll walk from the confluence of the river city to the sky reaching KLCC Twin Towers. Don’t be surprised to see horses pulling a carriage, tandem cyclists and more!
“#Move8 is a drive to encourage people of all ages to get moving and using a walkathon to achieve this objective; everyone and anyone across all ages can participate. Our inspiration is the community of fit seniors we know personally who hike, walk and run. Learning from them, we inculcate strong community values wherever we go and therefore at each event we produce we pledge to contribute to humanitarian aid charities. This Malaysia Day, we’ve selected the Malaysian Medical Relief Society (MERCY Malaysia) as the beneficiary,” said AsiaFitnessToday co-founders Jasmine Low and Nikki Yeo.
“Move8 Fitness Movement was initiated by AsiaFitnessToday.com – an online platform for corporate companies to book fitness activities for their employees, or for the general public to book group training. We wish to foster good relationships in the communities we live and work in by using fitness events as a means to stay healthy and make new friends while doing good for society. We believe with #Move8 Fitness Movement we can align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Goal #3 Good Health and Well-being for People. There are so many marathons and fun runs weekly, yet there are still many Malaysians who do not participate simply because they’re not interested nor fit enough to get started. A walkathon makes it easy for anyone and everyone to join in and we encourage corporate citizens and government agencies, athletes and sportsmen to step in as fitness advocates and sign up their family and friends for a walkathon,” adds Low.
The #Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon will be the first in a series that will be held throughout the country including Penang, Langkawi Island (State of Kedah), Cameron Highlands (State of Pahang) and Kundasang (State of Sabah). There are also plans to expand the walkathon into the ASEAN region. Each edition of the #Move8 Walkathon will be made appealing to international and domestic travellers as the selected locations are also some of Malaysia’s hottest tourism destinations. Each #Move8 Walkathon in the series will also hold a different theme in accordance to location. Participants who successfully complete the entire walkathon series will receive a special prize to mark their achievement by Malaysia Day in 2020.
The #Move8 Fitness Movement is conceptualised by AsiaFitnessToday.com (AFT) – a fitness startup incubated by experiential events company GoInternationalGroup.com, a Cradle Coach & Grow Program grant recipient.
#Move8 Malaysia Day Walkathon’s official partners are KL Car Free Morning, Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) and MultiGreen Events, the initiators of KL Car Free Morning. Prize sponsors include Amnig, ICON Fitness, Jump Street Asia, Meesha Sukira and Nusantara Bullion Exchange. Meanwhile, event partners SonneAire hybrid air-conditioning systems and award-winning portable toilet Ecoloo (both Cradle CGP recipient companies) have joined in to assist #Move8 event organiser GoInternationalGroup.com in providing sustainable events solutions.
Participation fees are RM50 for all participants and they will receive a commemorative 999 silver coin, breakfast, a goodie bag as well as an entry to a lucky draw. From the fees, 10% will be donated to MERCY Malaysia, a non-profit organisation that provides humanitarian and medical assistance in Malaysia and overseas. Closing date is on 12th September 2018 and tickets can be purchased online at: www.move8.org.
AsiaFitnessToday.com coach Adam gets people moving on the 1st Sunday of the month at KL Car Free Mornings
Aside from the #Move8 for Malaysia Day Walkathon, AFT also hosts free Zumba on the first Sunday of the month at the KL Car Free Morning in Kuala Lumpur and the 100 Day Fitness Challenge where groups of 30 people will be coached to be fitter and healthier versions of themselves in 100 days by certified fitness trainers.
