KL To Be Part Of Olympic Torch Relay's Routes

KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Bernama) -- Kuala Lumpur will be part of the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 torch relay routes where 80 athletes and members of the public will take part on April 21.

Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tan Sri Tunku Imran Tuanku Jaafar said Malaysians should be proud of the honour accorded as one of the 21 countries participating in the torch relay.

"The torch relay which will begin at the Merdeka Square at 2pm will pass through Stadium Negara and will end at KLCC at 3pm," he told reporters at Wisma OCM, here Wednesday.

He said a mini-concert would be held at the Merdeka Square to herald the occasion.

Kuala Lumpur is one of the three cities in South-East Asia chosen for the relay. The torch will arrive in Kuala Lumpur from Bangkok on April 21 before proceeding to Jakarta. In China, the torch will pass through 113 cities in all 31 autonomous provinces including Shaoshan, the birth place of Mao Zedong.

World squash champion Nicol David and world number two badminton player Lee Chong Wei are among the national athletes selected to take part in the torch relay.

Others included Datin Paduka Sharifah Mazlina Syed Kadir, the first Asian woman to cross both the North Pole and South Pole.

-- BERNAMA