Malaysian Sponsors

Just read an interesting article on btimes.com. I know it's an old article and VT's proposal didn't happen but still gives an interesting insight on VT's plans for CCFC.

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/B ... index_html


"Becoming a major shareholder in Cardiff City Football Club is part of Tan Sri Vincent Tan's plans to expand Cosway to Europe.
The Berjaya Corp Bhd (3395) chairman and chief executive officer had flown to London last Saturday to watch Cardiff City take on Blackpool in the Championship play-off final.
Tan revealed that the jerseys of the Cardiff players will carry the name of Cosway, a subsidiary of the Berjaya group.
This will see the brand, which markets household, beauty, healthcare and other consumer products, get more exposure via television telecast, media coverage and matches at stadiums.
At a board meeting in Cardiff City today, Tan's business partner, Datuk Chan Tien Ghee, is set to be named as chairman of Cardiff City FC.
Tan and Chan bought a 36.7 per cent stake at STG6 million (RM29 million), giving them the controlling shares in Cardiff City FC.
The deal has made Tan and Chan the first Malaysians to own a football club in Britain.
Tan said the club's total enterprise value - debt plus equity - is STG30 million (RM144 million).
"I'm trying to learn the business of football. It is quite interesting," he said.
"I plan to put Cosway, our international business brand, on our players' jerseys."
Tan said he wants to bring Cosway, already a major player in the Asia-Pacific, to Wales.
"We are looking at how Cardiff and Cosway can work together. I look at the big picture," said Tan.
Tan said Cosway, which is among the 20 largest direct-selling companies in the world, has the potential to be the biggest in the Berjaya group and become a US$10 billion (RM33 billion) company.
"Cosway is an international brand that is sold in nine countries (Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand). It is popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan," said Tan."

Interesting article and I remember reading it a few months ago.

Another interesting thing is VT's troubles in getting a betting licence in Malaysia, mainly for telephone betting on Premiership and Champions League matches. Apparently he was offered a provisional betting licence on the 13 January this year, which oddly seems to be about the time the Malaysian's began to really get serious about buying into CCFC.

Interestingly the licence was revoked just days after we lost the play-off final. It was officially blamed on pressure from the 2/3 Muslim majority, but most Government officials accept and support the principle that non-Muslims (mainly the Chinese minority) should be allowed to gamble legally.

Personally I believe Tan having a Premiership team would make it impossible for the Malaysian Government to turn down a betting licence for a second time due to the prestige it would bring to Malaysia. Also Tan himself is quoted as saying he will reapply when ‘conditions are better suited’ which could be interpreted as when Cardiff City are promoted to the Premiership?

BTW if you wonder why he is so keen, it is estimated that the illegal gambling market in Malaysia is worth around £1.5 billion per annum!

When it’s put like that £30m to buy us and pay off our debts, plus £25m per year to keep us in the top flight as a marketing tool would be pigeon feed to him and TG.

Quote from an article on nst.com:

"KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Vincent Tan is upset that there is opposition to legalised sports betting in the country.
The Berjaya Corp Bhd chairman said legalised sports betting would generate revenue for the government and curb the activities of illegal bookies.
He told the New Straits Times that "sports betting can be carried out in a controlled environment" and reduce the number of punters going to illegal bookies.
He said it was a known fact that illegal bookies and loan sharks worked hand-in-hand. Punters are given credit lines and they later struggle to repay the loan.
Tan was coming out in defence of his plans to introduce legal sports betting in the country.
Pakatan Rakyat, however, is against the idea. So far, the Penang and Selangor governments have announced that they would not allow legalised sports betting in the two states.
Tan, whose company, Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd, had been given the sports gaming licence by the Federal Government, said those who opposed legal sports betting were narrow-minded.
"This is only helping the illegal betting syndicates," he said.
"Even if sports betting is outlawed, it won't stop punters.
"They know they can still go to the illegal bookies," Tan said.
In Shah Alam, Selangor Men-teri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced yesterday that the state government would not allow football betting activities in the state.
He said even though the Federal Government had issued the football betting licence, the state government could still ban it.
"Companies intending to have football betting outlets must apply for a business licence from the local authorities.
"All local councils have been instructed to enforce the ban and not to issue a business licence to any parties for football betting activities," said Khalid, adding that the state government would not hesitate to shut down premises which operated sports betting outlets.
Last week, another Pakatan Rakyat-controlled state, Penang, announced a ban on all sports betting activities in the state"

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/11bts/Article/

Quote from an article on nst.com:

"KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Vincent Tan is upset that there is opposition to legalised sports betting in the country.
The Berjaya Corp Bhd chairman said legalised sports betting would generate revenue for the government and curb the activities of illegal bookies.
He told the New Straits Times that "sports betting can be carried out in a controlled environment" and reduce the number of punters going to illegal bookies.
He said it was a known fact that illegal bookies and loan sharks worked hand-in-hand. Punters are given credit lines and they later struggle to repay the loan.
Tan was coming out in defence of his plans to introduce legal sports betting in the country.
Pakatan Rakyat, however, is against the idea. So far, the Penang and Selangor governments have announced that they would not allow legalised sports betting in the two states.
Tan, whose company, Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd, had been given the sports gaming licence by the Federal Government, said those who opposed legal sports betting were narrow-minded.
"This is only helping the illegal betting syndicates," he said.
"Even if sports betting is outlawed, it won't stop punters.
"They know they can still go to the illegal bookies," Tan said.
In Shah Alam, Selangor Men-teri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced yesterday that the state government would not allow football betting activities in the state.
He said even though the Federal Government had issued the football betting licence, the state government could still ban it.
"Companies intending to have football betting outlets must apply for a business licence from the local authorities.
"All local councils have been instructed to enforce the ban and not to issue a business licence to any parties for football betting activities," said Khalid, adding that the state government would not hesitate to shut down premises which operated sports betting outlets.
Last week, another Pakatan Rakyat-controlled state, Penang, announced a ban on all sports betting activities in the state"

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/11bts/Article/

into the final seconds of injury time at the CCS and its Cardiff City 1 Nottingham Forest 0...And the long punt from Lee Camp has run stright through to marshall, Marshall picks it up and oh ... oh my God, he's thrown it into his own net Cardiff City 1 Nottingham Forest 1

Quote from an article on nst.com:

"KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Vincent Tan is upset that there is opposition to legalised sports betting in the country.
The Berjaya Corp Bhd chairman said legalised sports betting would generate revenue for the government and curb the activities of illegal bookies.
He told the New Straits Times that "sports betting can be carried out in a controlled environment" and reduce the number of punters going to illegal bookies.
He said it was a known fact that illegal bookies and loan sharks worked hand-in-hand. Punters are given credit lines and they later struggle to repay the loan.
Tan was coming out in defence of his plans to introduce legal sports betting in the country.
Pakatan Rakyat, however, is against the idea. So far, the Penang and Selangor governments have announced that they would not allow legalised sports betting in the two states.
Tan, whose company, Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd, had been given the sports gaming licence by the Federal Government, said those who opposed legal sports betting were narrow-minded.
"This is only helping the illegal betting syndicates," he said.
"Even if sports betting is outlawed, it won't stop punters.
"They know they can still go to the illegal bookies," Tan said.
In Shah Alam, Selangor Men-teri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim announced yesterday that the state government would not allow football betting activities in the state.
He said even though the Federal Government had issued the football betting licence, the state government could still ban it.
"Companies intending to have football betting outlets must apply for a business licence from the local authorities.
"All local councils have been instructed to enforce the ban and not to issue a business licence to any parties for football betting activities," said Khalid, adding that the state government would not hesitate to shut down premises which operated sports betting outlets.
Last week, another Pakatan Rakyat-controlled state, Penang, announced a ban on all sports betting activities in the state"

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/11bts/Article/

But that's my point mate, if Cardiff City were in the Premiership it could sway public opinion in Malaysia. Also the state government's mentioned above who are showing the biggest resistance are the poorer regional one's. Tan would obviously like to get his foot in Jahor and the richer states first.