KUALA LUMPUR: Because of love for Malaysia, newly promoted English Premier League (EPL) club Cardiff City will retain ‘Visit Malaysia’ on the team’s jersey even though there is no sponsorship from the tourism ministry.
Cardiff City owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan said that throughout the nine years he has been associated with the club, the tourism ministry has only given sponsorship for one season when the club last played in the Premier League during the 2013-2014 season.
"The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar who is also a share partner of mine has graciously given sponsorship for the team when we requested for support.
"His Highness graciously gave £3 million (RM16.5 million) over three years when we were playing in the championship,” he said during a Cardiff City press conference held here earlier today (Thursday).
With Cardiff City returning to the EPL for the 2018/2019 season which begins this coming August, Vincent is hoping the club can once more receive sponsorship from the Tourism Ministry.
"His Highness the Sultan of Johor said that he wants to continue supporting the club but he wants me to discuss first with the new tourism minister because the cost needed for sponsorship in the EPL is much higher.
"So, I will be meeting with the new tourism minister after the appointment has been made and hold discussions on the best possible way to promote Malaysia,” he said.
Vincent added that sponsorship for his newly promoted EPL team is better compared to the tourism ministry’s previous move in spending millions of Ringgit in sponsorship to just one player, Barcelona Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez.
"Cardiff City will be playing in the EPL next season which is watched by more than 4.8 billion viewers across the globe and all of them will be able to see the words ‘Visit Malaysia’ on our team’s jersey. We want to show that this club is Malaysian owned,” he said.
Last November, former tourism minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz through Tourism Malaysia, appointed Suarez as Tourism Malaysia’s ambassador for three years to help promote the country’s tourism industry.
When asked on his hopes for Cardiff City after the club only managed a season in the English top flight back in 2013-2014, Vincent said he is very hopeful that this time round the club can remain in the Premier League for a long time to come.
