The Queen’s Baton Relay spent four days in Malaysia, arriving on 20 January. The country’s first Batonbearers were Aniq Kasdan, 19-year-old weightlifter and the first Malaysian to win a medal in World Weightlifting Championships, and Anzil Bidin, 27-year-old weightlifter who won a gold medal at Gold Coast 2018.
The following day, the Baton visited a paramotor training ground in Pulau Indah of Port Klang, where Mr. Mohd Nurhaqimy Mohd Ismail, President of the Malaysia Sports Aviation Federation (MSAF) took to the skies in a paramotor, carrying the Baton.
On Wednesday, the Relay reached the town of Banting, where the community displayed their skills in the nationally popular sports Gasing and Wau. Gasing can be compared to spinning tops, but some of them can weigh up to 5kg! Wau has been a popular Malay game for hundreds of years, it is similar to kite flying and there are over a dozen types. The kites often have intricate designs and reflect the Malay culture. The type displayed during the Relay was Wau Kapal.
The third day saw the Baton relayed in the commemorative run for 2022 Federal Territory Day. Many athletes joined run, including hockey player Baljit Singh Charun and cyclist Nor Effandy Rosli who were flanked by other runners proudly carrying the Malaysian flag. Next up to bear the Baton along the Relay were His Excellency Charles Hay MVO, British High Commissioner, gymnast Izzah Amzan and badminton player Wong Choong Hann.
During the route, the Relay stopped at Putrajaya Challenge Skatepark, where local skateboarders and BMX riders showed off their skills.
That afternoon, starting from the City Gallery, the Baton toured Kuala Lumpur. Stops along the way included Merdeka Square, Victoria Fountain, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, and the River of Life project. The scheme is aiming to rejuvenate the Klang River and its surrounding area, with hopes to restore it to a community hub.
On the final day in Malaysia, the Baton visited Taylor University, partner campus to the University of Birmingham and a Longines branch, both of which are official partners of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
Longines hosted a relay, during which actor Alvin Chong, Welson Sim, the first Malaysian male swimmer to qualify for an Olympic Games, diver Wendy Ng, and artistic gymnast Jeremiah Loo all took on the Baton.
The University hosted a virtual round table to discuss the challenges and impact of sustainable engineering. Students, alumni, and staff from Taylor University, including Nicholas Lim Chun Keat, Shahmalarani Chandran, Liza Vadivelu, and Zara Basyirah Binti Md Shah represented Malaysia as Batonbearers.
