Tun Dr. Mahathir receiving a token of appreciation from Mr. Geoffrey Briscoe

Tun Dr Mahathir, who was recently announced as patron of the BMW Malaysian Open, joined title sponsor, BMW Group Malaysia; the event’s local sanctioning body, Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM); and event promoters, Carbon Worldwide in appreciation of the event partners in the lead up to the event.

The former Prime Minister is a strong supporter of bringing international sporting events here and has been persistently positioning Malaysia as a premium tourist destination with focus on popular destinations such as Langkawi. As we count down to the tournament, local tennis fans can expect to see player activities happening at Langkawi as the island could certainly conjure up some rest and relaxation before the big event.

Mr. Geoffrey Briscoe, Managing Director of BMW Malaysia said, “We are certainly delighted to have Tun Dr. Mahathir as patron of the BMW Malaysian Open 2012 as he was equally instrumental in driving the BMW brand to the shores of Malaysia 9 years ago and his continued support will augur well towards the success of the tournament.”

Staging of a world-class event such as the BMW Malaysian Open continues to position the country's standing in the international sporting arena. The tournament has established itself in its first 2 years and moves the country towards being a key sports tourism destination in the world. This would not have been made possible without the support and commitment of its event partners.

Tun Dr. Mahathir sharing a moment with Mr. Geoffrey Briscoe and Tan Sri Razak Latiff

The tournament continues to echo the primary efforts of both the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Youth and Sports as Malaysia aims to become a major sports tourism destination in the Asia-Pacific region.

The BMW Malaysian Open 2012 will be held at the plush Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort from 27 February to 4 March 2012 where 32 of the world’s leading players will compete for the singles title and 16 teams for the doubles title, in a knockout competition format. They will compete for a prize-purse of USD220,000.