RUNNING FOR PEACE
I was a torchbearer at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay held in Kuala Lumpur on Monday April 21, 2008. It was a historic event for the country as it was only the second time that Malaysia was selected to participate in the Torch Relay Event since the modern Olympic Games was enunciated in 1896 – the first was in 1964 for the Tokyo Olympic.
I was one of the six environmentalists selected and sponsored by Coca-Cola to participate in the Relay. Coca-Cola as one of the sponsors of the Games, has been given the honour to select a few torchbearers for the Event and it has focused on environmental criteria to choose its candidates. My nomination was made by the Malaysian Nature Society, the oldest and biggest environmental NGO in the country. The other Coca-Cola Torchbearers included Dato’ Dr. Mikaal Kavanagh, Khadijah Abdul Rahman, Karam Singh Walia, Aznir Abdul Malek and Dr Reza Azmi. According to the news release issued by the Company on April 2, the candidates were selected ‘for their selfless contributions to the environment and making a difference to the community through their commitment to environmental stewardship’.
We were part of a bigger team of torchbearers totaling 80 made up of luminaries in the various sports such as badminton (Cheah Soon Kit, Abd Rashid Sidek, Datuk Punch Gunalan, Mohd Razif Sidek, Mohd Jailani Sidek), soccer (Dato’ Soh Chin Ann), swimming (Lim Keng Liat, Nurul Huda Abdullah), bowling (Shalin Zulkifli), squash (Nicol Ann David), paralympic (Muhamad Salam Sidek, Mohd Raduan Emeari), sports officials (Tunku Tan Sri Imran, Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, Dato’ Zolkples Embong); social activists (Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, Datuk Paduka Marina Mahathir) and corporate leaders (Dato’ Tony Fernandez, Tan Sri Azman Hashim).
The Relay started at 2pm at the Dataran Merdeka with the opening ceremony officiated by the Hon. Minister of Youth an Sports, Datuk Sabri Yaacob in the presence of the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan and Vice-President of the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee (BOGOC) Jiang Xiaoyu.
The first torchbearer was Tunku Tan Sri Imran, the President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia who started the Relay at Dataran Merdeka (DM) and five runners covered the DM area. The Relay then proceeded to Jalan Parlimen passing through Padang Merbok, Taman Tasik Perdana, Parliament Building, Museum Negara on the Mahameru Highway, old KTM Administrative Building, National Mosque, Jalan Stadium and finally reaching the first leg of the Relay at the Merdeka Stadium.
I was there at the Stadium having registered my presence at 2.30pm. I was in the second leg on the route and the standing instruction was to report there by 3.00 pm. I met other participants of the Relay and a few who attended the Opening Ceremony informed that there was a large crowd following the Relay and there was even attempt to snatch the torch from the torchbearer. We were actually briefed to expect this during the briefing held on the afternoon of the previous day (Sunday April 20).
The Merdeka Stadium had a carnival atmosphere with a school band performing at the entrance and the drum beating and cheer leading groups doing their acts inside the stadium. A large appreciative crowd had gathered in the stadium to witness five Relay torchbearers running within it.
At the Stadium 34 torchbearers have completed their Relay assignment and the remaining ones were given their numbers according to the location on the route. The Coca-Cola participants were assigned the stretch starting from the Jalan Sultan Ismail - Jalan P. Ramlee intersection, proceeding along Jalan P. Ramlee towards Mandarin Oriental Hotel. I was assigned No. 68.
At around 4.00 pm we boarded the two buses assigned for the torchbearers. Escorted by the police outriders, the entourage meandered through Jalan Stadium, Jalan Hang Jebat passing through Wisma OCM into Jalan Hang Tuah, Jalan Imbi and then Jalan Sultan Ismail
Large crowds lined both sides of the road particularly along Jalan Sultan Ismail. I was waving at them from the bus. I was touched noticing the mingling of the people of different races, nationalities, religion – young and old cheering the Olympic flame, displaying the very spirit of Olympism i.e ‘the blending of sports with culture and education in creating a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational values of good example and respect for universal ethical principles’. The Olympic Games has been organised ‘to place sports at the services of humanity and thereby to promote peace’.
The Relay entourage then snaked into Jalan Raja Chulan from Jalan Sultan Ismail and passing by Istana Hotel and AmBank where a large number of AmBank employees were lining the road in red attire cheering their Chairman, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, who covered this stretch of the route. We proceeded to Jalan Puncak heading for the KL Tower. The Torch was carried to the top of the Tower by Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar, the Malaysian astronaut.
As we were waiting at the KL Tower car park I noticed dark rain clouds in the sky and pointed these to Karam Singh Walia. Karam Singh expressed hope that the rain would hold until the completion of the Torch Relay. It was not going to be as, soon after (I noted the clock on the bus registered 5.15) it poured. Ponchos were distributed among the participants. When the ceremony at the Tower ended with a participant parachuting down from the top of the Tower, we proceeded down Jalan Puncak.
Dato’ James S. Joseph of Bata was the first runner coming down Jalan Puncak followed by Gerry Jaya Simhan (No. 64), Maya Heng, Rohaya Rozhan and then an reaching the Jalan Sultan Ismail – Jalan P. Ramlee No. 68 was called. I had my poncho on in the heavy rain with the torch in my hand. I came down from the bus to an ankle deep water flowing down the road. A crowd gathered around me wanting to take pictures. I obliged.
As the siren sound came and the runner before me Teo Hong Beng approached, I removed my poncho and moved to the side of the road. One of the organizers with a small equipment squeezed open the gas canister of my torch which released the gas and upon putting it close to the flame of the torch of the previous runner my torch was lighted. Holding the torch in my right hand I started to run. I was escorted on both sides by men in uniform, representing members of the Organising Committee and members of the Malaysian armed forces, by the look of their uniforms, I was waving to the crowd who had remained by the road to cheer, inspite of the downpour.
In the briefing, we were informed that each torchbearer would cover a distance of 100 to 200m. In my estimation I covered 200m and without realizing it, actually ran a distance meant for two. What happened was the torchbearer immediately after me was in a toilet when I passed his spot and in his absence, trodded on to the next participant, Khatijah Abdul Rahman ( No. 70). On lighting her torch, my flame was switched off. I alighted the bus that picked us up, receiving the cheers of the participating colleagues in the vehicle.
The entourage then proceeded to KLCC Tower where we disembarked as the bus clock showed 5.55. It was perfect timing for the Event as the Relay was scheduled to end at 6.00 pm with the Closing Ceremony at the Esplanade of KLCC.
A huge crowd had gathered at the venue of Closing Ceremony and I could hardly squeeze to get in. I noticed a number of participants were leaving as there were hardly any space even to stand. I decided to follow Karam Singh Walia who was also departing. He had a torch in his hand and a large crowd was with him wanting to take photos with him and the torch.
When I took my torch out of the box and started carrying it in my hand a crowd also gathered around, and many wanted to take photos. I obliged. The crowd became larger attracted by the torch and as photographs were being taken, a few in the crowd attempted to snatch the torch. I hold tight to it and then decided for my own safety and not losing this priceless possession of mine. I quickly inserted it back in the box. I called it the day.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Torch Relay is an essential prelude to the Olympic Games to be held in Beijing in August 2008 as part of the promotion of the Games. The Torch and Flame is one of the greatest symbol of the Olympic ideal which ‘conjures up personal connecting points to the universal values of peace, equality, unity, solidarity, brotherhood/sisterhood, inclusion and participation’. The Flame for the Beijing Olympics was lighted in Olympia, Athens, Greece on March 24. It will be carried in 22 selected cities all over the world on the ‘Journey of Harmony’ and 113 cities and all 31 Provinces in the mainland of China, covering 137,000 km and involving 22,000 torchbearer, stretching for a period of 130 days.
The participation of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay is a life time memorable experience for me. I am humbled and felt deeply honoured with my selection, as the Event signifies the very spirit that I have lived for towards the fulfillment of ‘the universal values for peace, equality, unity, and brotherhood/sisterhood. In the context of the multiracial society that we lived in and in consonance with the national aspiration to promote unity among the ethnic diversity that constitutes the population, the Olympic spirit has definite relevance to us.
The Torch Run was also significant in that environment is given its due place and individuals who have contributed to environmental causes were given recognition. Thanks to Coca-Cola for having selected this critical issue to the attention of the Malaysians and world audience. I know there are many organisations and individuals who have for many years, doggedly champion, the various environmental related issues such the conservation and protection of our rainforests, wetlands, rivers, marine ecosystems; climate change; management of wastes. They too merit to carry the torch.
The Torch Run has also a special significance as it also involves senior citizens. I am heartened to see senior personalities like Tunku Tan Sri Imran, Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, Lt. Cdr. (R) Karu Selvaratnam, Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji, Tan Sri Azman Hashim, Dato’ James S. Joseph, Dato’ Mikaail Kavanagh and DYMM Tuanku Azlan Shah who are in their sixties and a few like me who have attained 70, who in their ‘never say die’ spirit agreed to participate. I recollected that on my 70th birthday last February, among the birthday gifts I received was a book on ‘Anti-Ageing Revolution’ which among thing, advocated. ‘To Think young and do young things’ among the ingredients for healthy and enthusiastic living. The Relay Run was definitely a young thing to do and continuously doing exercises and, in addition, with proper diet, ample rest, good family environment I hope to be blessed with a continued healthy and happy living.
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