NEGRI SEMBILAN: BMX collector and actor Faizal Hussein wants the motor cross bicycle riders to be more involved in the sport.
Faizal, a self proclaimed BMX bike enthusiast who began to collect the motor cross bicycles since he was a teenager said the future of BMX is bright with events that encourage people to take part in the sport.
He was invited as one of the panelist by the organisers to talk about the country’s involvement in the sport at the Super Gathering K-Car Life and BMX Back to 80s event in Sendayan.
The event attracted around 3,000 collectors and riders from neighbouring countries; Indonesia and Singapore who are BMX and small cars collectors commonly known as K-Cars in Japan.
“The organisers agreed to crown me as the first person in Malaysia to own a BMX bike at an entry level. This event shows the strong interest in the sports since the 80s.
“I have been collecting the bicycles since I was a teenager, there are not much BMX models to choose from. Now at the exhibition there are many brands, Rally Burner and the likes.
“Seeing such a crowd proves that Malaysia has a bright chance in BMX since we have also been competing in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games,” he said.
In the 2017 Malaysia SEA Games, national riders Noor Quraataina Mamat became the country’s first-ever rider to win a medal in a BMX event held at the National BMX Arena in Nilai, Negri Sembilan.
The event organiser Muhamad Al-Amin Abdullah believes that with more events it will encourage the local BMX community to be more involved in the sport.
Al-Amin said he has been organising events like this since 2018, and it has shown positive feedback from collectors all over the country and those from neighbouring countries.
The Super Gathering event was held not only for collectors and former bicycle riders who mostly rode the BMX in their youth during the 80s, but to also connect new and old riders in one event.
“Last year, we only had 180 participants to display their bicycles. Alhamdulillah, this year we managed to have 300 collectors register their show bikes.
“The idea for the event came because back in the 80s, BMX was a popular hobby among us and I wanted the old and new riders to meet and connect with each other so that we can strengthen our ‘silaturrahim’ (relationship) while gaining more knowledge about BMX models through the years.
“In the future, I hope to organise more events and maybe even competitions to support and enrich the BMX culture,” he said.