The ‘Kings of Tennis’ tournament in Penang this weekend has been cancelled.
How much will it cost to clear the mess in the Esplanade, including all that concrete? A couple of million ringgit? Did the state government collect a deposit from the organisers? If yes, great. If not, why not?
It’s a major ‘Big Bang’ for Penang, unfortunately….
The objective of ‘Kings of Tennis’ was “to create the first, biggest and best team event for the world number ones in tennis.”
But the local organisers apparently failed to come up with payment or a bank guarantee for the event producers. A Big Bang embarrassment.
“We express our sincere apologies to the public and all those parties concerned but we simply could not provide the players without the payment of promised funds that did not materialise despite a number of ultimatums given to the local promoter/organiser by our organisation,” said the event producers in a press release by Ming, KH & Associates Sdn Bhd on behalf of the overseas-based producers of ‘Kings of Tennis’.
The warning bells should have sounded when the organisers complained a few days ago of “lack of support” from the state government. But did the state government actually endorse the event by allowing the organisers to use a .gov.my URL as in http://www.kingsoftennis.gov.my/
Why did the organisers build all the infrastructure without sorting out the financing first?
Speaking of the Esplanade, whose bright idea was it to build that low wall surrounding the sprawling field, which is supposed to be a public area? What purpose does it serve?
Since when penangites or malaysian in general is crazy about tennis?
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To the last question – ‘Cos it creates tenders, perhaps? Hahaha, biasa lah. Just like how the previous state government used to rip apart perfectly good road pavements to lay new bricks, and then, rip apart and place flower pots and waste more taxpayers’ money.
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Frankie, Penang/Malaysia tennis fans are always in the closet until we have big names coming to this country lately
The producers have cancelled the event since last week but local organiser still insist the tourney is on.If you read carefully the news last Sunday, they try to put the blame on the Penang gov.
Hopefully they’ll make announcement regarding the refund soon.
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Looks like a blessing in disguise that the event was cancelled. If the organisers couldn’t come up with the bank guarantee, they likely lacked the financial base to execute the event properly. Better call it off now than the embarassment of a botched tournament.
The low wall looked like one of those “create contracts” jobs from the previous state government. Can’t figure what function it serves, its not even pretty.
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Ask Dr Choong Sim Poey – he should know some information. Why is he keeping quiet?
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Wonder how arianne is going to recoup her losses,suing the state govt for not giving support.
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Remember the David Copperfiel event that was cancelled last year and ticket holders have to wait for months for a refund? Same promoter as this one, biasalah….
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Congrats Penang for another Big Bang flop. This one is bigger than the world’s longest buffet.
Who ever the government is, Penang is cursed with a flop. Hahaha. Fly to KL!
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Penang gov did it according to the contract and at minimal cost.
In fact Arianna has been trying to exploit them to take up responsibility even at the very last minute.
The supposedly international event is owned by some Swedish entrepreneurs. But Arianna deviated from the main objective of KOT and tried to localize the event perhaps to convince the Penang gov to ‘give them more support’.
There are already problems arised since the beginning such as did not get blessing from LTAM for tennis event, tickets not on sale earlier, no announcement of sponsorships until they managed to convinced the Penang gov to let them use the government domain (gov.my), etc
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Eventhough the wall around Esplanade does look like unnecessary concrete in a green lung, what can you do when you have morons who ride their motorbikes onto the ground? I have seen so many disgusting folks on bicycles and motorbikes who have total disregard for kids and families playing on the grounds. I don’t know whether we block with walls or instill discipline the Singapore way by being the FINE state.
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It’s very embarrassing, of course. And the Penang Government had better be careful of such things in the future.
Maybe we can use the 5,000 seater open air court to hold all future anti ISA vigils??? The police could have free front row seats!!
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well it is a blessing in disguise for us, organisers of the vigil on 15 nov. orinally we planned 15 nov at esplanade first without knowing of the tournament. when we learned of the tournament, we had headache deciding to change venue or postpone date. finally just yesterday we decided change venue to dewan sri pinang but then suddenly again, this morning, we read that the tournament had been canceled – good for us! s0 it is back to esplanade for us. anil, please help us to publicise it by blogging on it. i had sent you the poster. everybody, come and support us.
having said that, however, i’m actually appalled that the tournament had been canceled at the last minute. after the ‘courts’ had been constructed – the money spent, not forgetting spoiling the esplanade field (flatten it). really, what a waste of labour and money!
yes i also notice the low wall surrounding the field when last week we went to survey the surrounding area. it’s ridiculous! i thought the field is suppose to be public property. if i’m not mistaken, i sort of saw the MPPP board that stated if one want to use the field, one must apply to the council. what? the field belongs to the council now?
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Lucia, Esplanade field is definitely public property. On the issue of permission from MPPP, that is only for those who wish to use the whole field for functions and sports carnivals.
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Again, ask the PHT to comment on this?
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So much on the Kings of Tennis event.Please remember that the organisers are bringing tourism to our very own state. Everyone is just as sad. Kings of Tennis is a good thing in Penang!
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according to the press release dated 11th Nov,
“Consequently, the event has been cancelled as we notified the local promoter/organiser last week”
and yet, the organisers went to the press on sat and insisted,
“Speculations about the event being cancelled are untrue. Those who doubt should drop by the Esplanade to see the structures already up”
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/9/nation/2502163&sec=nation
i am truly disgusted with the organisers.
to think that she already knew of the cancellation, and still proceeded to build the huge structure.
i can only speculate her reason for continuing with her charade. and tru$t me, none of them are naive or noble.
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The Penang State Govt must take this as a lesson not to trust any people who go to them with what look like good idea. You job is to govt. Dont look for publicity.
And another thing, don’t be fooled by the free Wifi proposition.
You must look into the gift horse’s mouth.
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The Big Bang of tennis
It was gone just like that
Hustling about money
The Esplanade is left crying
No airing to the world
Of the true historical ground
Wooing tourists to come
Now only the emptiness
And losses to count
Why it gone wrong?
In the last hurdle to boot
A sad disgrace in our lives
When event of this statue
It turned humpty dumpty
Falling out on his chair
The headaches now become
The organizers too
Now the Esplanade
Abandoned misused
The crying of the sea
The waves lashing on the shore
Staring at the empty ground
The Esplanade is left crying
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Looks like the former Miss Malaysia have to cough out money for the “mother of all blunders”. Looks like MPPP has to carry the s***. If the organisers cannot even come out with the deposit, where do they get the money to reinstate the Esplanade grounds.
I can’t imagine the financial feasibility of organising some a giant event.
I suppose she a beauty queen.
BTW is the husband also a failed F1 driver? If so, it runs in the family.
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Oh! Mother of all Horrors !!!
I live in Penang and only two days ago I passed by Esplanade and was blind not to notice that the Esplanade field had been bombed and filled up with cement to build tents for the refugees!!!!!
From what I know the term “Tennis” comes from the root word “tents”. So playing tennis means playing around the tents. But in this case not even a tent can be seen!
They must be JOKING!!
The Mother Of All HORRORS!!
What have Penang become? Senile???
AIYOOOOOOOOOOOH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the real tents, please visit my blog.
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This is a good lesson for LGE, Jeff Ooi and co. They have become insufferably smug and arrogant in the last few months going around like they are the best things since nasi lemak. Their endorsement of this event and various waivers given to the event organizer show that they failed to undertake adequate due diligence before lending the state government imprimatur to this sham of an event.
Now, of course, they are trying to distance themselves from this debacle when only a few days ago Jeff Ooi put up a triumphalist posting on his blog beating his chest (“I am naming names, BIG names!”).
I hope the esplanade will be restored without a single sen from the state government. If there is a ‘bailout’ then not only has this shameful episode been indicative of LGE’s hubris-induced carelessness but also another deviation from his meow-meow CAT governance.
Serves the smug b…… right!
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This was a good publicity event for Penang. It was very unfortunate for it to turned out this way. The state govt has done no wrong in endorsing this event. It is purely a financial problem that is beyond anyone’s control.
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Well it’s a test on YB LGE’s CAT practice Government.
Come up with explanation with all the names, companies, amount(RM)involve. Chronology ow it came about for this wonderful idea.
Possible that freshie state governrment overlook things, it’s ok but Let we people know where it went wrong, what is the RM loss if any, what is the next cause of action being taken on the people responsible.
YB We are waiting.
Joc
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Talking about public property, I think we public can sacrifice
few months of not gettng to use that area but on the other hand it should generates reasonable RM & publicity & bring tourrist to Penang.
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funny, I go to the esplanade regularly last time there were also barriers, but the bikes still got in. only a few mah… but what about people with disabilities, over 4 years ago the MPPP was shown a presentation – how impossible it was for people with disabilities to get into the public space. we have a great toilet for people with disabilities right in the middle of the space, but no way to get there!!!!! when the new work started we thought great at last it will be barrier free… the motorbikes can get fined… but nooooo more barriers go up. what’s also bad is that the heritage tram poles were taken down – what a mess that Elsplanade…
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