Bigger and better next year

By Tan Choe Choe | choe@nstp.com.my

LOOKING AHEAD: A bigger motor hunt with more prizes can be expected for 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: THE overwhelming response from readers and members of the public for the inaugural New Sunday Times Motor Hunt 2012 last Sunday has given an impetus to the newspaper to make the hunt an annual affair.

And it will be "bigger and better", as New Straits Times Press Bhd group managing editor Abdul Jalil Hamid had promised during the prize presentation ceremony.

Many, if not most, contestants also vowed to return next year to test their skills and try their luck again, impressed as they were by the prize pool, which, thanks to the generosity of sponsors, was hailed as one of the most luxurious for such hunts.

Although it was the newspaper's first-ever motor hunt, it attracted 231 teams from all over the country, with more than 900 contestants.

Participants were flagged off from the NSTP Bhd headquarters in Jalan Riong, Bangsar, at 8am, and were sent off to various parts of Klang Valley in search of answers to some tricky riddles.

The hunt ended at Holiday Villa Subang in Subang Jaya, the venue sponsor for the hunt. Purple Antz was the designated clerk of course.

There were three categories to the hunt -- beginner, regular and media/sponsors.

The winning team of each category took home RM5,000, with first and second runners-up bagging RM3,000 and RM1,500 respectively.

The grand prize winner took home a Volkswagen Polo Sedan worth about RM100,000. The winner was selected via a draw among the three winning teams.

There were also many lucky draw prizes, ranging from smart phones to luxurious hotel stays, flight tickets to Osaka, Japan and Sydney, Australia, and more.

The sponsors for the hunt were BlackBerry smartphones developer RIM (Research in Motion Malaysia Sdn Bhd), Felda Holdings, AirAsia X Sdn Bhd, Star Cruises, Sime Darby, Tesco, Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd, Kingston, LG Electronics Malaysia, Canon Malaysia, Epson, Lactacyd, Julie's Biscuits, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, Permanis Sandilands Sdn Bhd, Celcom, Maybank, and TomTom, supplier of in-car location and navigation products and services.

Petronas was the official fuel sponsor, while other major hotel sponsors were Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, Philea Resort and Spa in Malacca, Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort, A' Famosa Resort and Datai, Langkawi.

Other hotels, which sponsored rooms, food and beverage vouchers and merchandise, were Hard Rock Hotel Penang, G Hotel Penang, Double Tree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Putra Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Impiana KLCC Hotel, Federal Hotels International, Putrajaya Marriott Hotel and Spa, Holiday Villa Hotels and Resorts and One World Hotel.

To many, the memorable event wasn't just a motor hunt, but also a family day.

But apart from that, it was also a day for charity. The items acquired by hunters as "treasures" throughout the hunt -- mainly foodstuff and necessity items worth some RM2,500 -- were donated to Rumah Bakti Al-Kausar in Bandar Baru Bangi.

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Contestants prowling the streets of Klang Valley looking for answers.

Winners of the media category with NSTP group managing editor Abdul Jalil Hamid.

The winning team from the beginner’s category took home the grand prize, a Volkswagen Polo Sedan and RM5,000. The team was led by systems analyst Muhammad Sani Mohd Noor (right), and his teammates, (from left) auditor Zatul Hayanie, systems analyst Redzuan Taib and post-graduate student Noriza Esa.

Proud winners of the regular category with NSTP group managing editor Abdul Jalil Hamid (fourth from left) and New Sunday Times editor Chok Suat Ling (centre).

Everyone came well prepared. Some even had food in the car for an on-the-road picnic.

Hunters listening attentively to the final briefing by clerk of course Rajj Melambaran before the flag-off.

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Bigger and better next year

LOOKING AHEAD: A bigger motor hunt with more prizes can be expected for 2013

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