Kota Kinabalu: The upcoming Jom! Malaysia-China Friendship Run 2026, scheduled to take place on July 26, has once again received strong backing from renowned sports and lifestyle footwear and apparel brand Skechers, which is contributing sponsorship worth RM300,000 in the form of staff uniforms, prizes and other event necessities.
The sponsorship further strengthens efforts to promote healthy living while fostering friendship and people-to-people exchanges between Malaysia and China.
Recently, Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah President Dr Oh Ei Sun and its Executive Vice-President and Secretary-General Steven Liaw met with Hong Kong-based Luen Thai Group Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Henry Tan and his wife Chan in Hong Kong.
During the meeting, the Sabah delegation briefed the couple on preparations for the event and exchanged views on future initiatives aimed at enhancing friendship, cooperation and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
This year marks the fourth consecutive year that Skechers has supported the event since 2023, underscoring the company’s continued commitment to community engagement and healthy lifestyle initiatives.
Tan expressed appreciation for the achievements of the Jom! Malaysia-China Friendship Run over the years, noting that sports exchanges serve as an important platform for fostering cultural understanding and friendship among communities.
“The Jom! Malaysia-China Friendship Run has gradually developed into a representative people-to-people exchange event. It not only encourages the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle through sports, but also helps bring people closer together.
“Seeing more and more young people actively participating gives us great confidence in future cooperation and exchanges among different communities,” he said.
Tan said Luen Thai Group has always attached great importance to corporate social responsibility and would continue supporting initiatives that promote social harmony, youth development and friendship.
He also expressed hope that the Jom! Malaysia-China Friendship Run would continue attracting participants from diverse backgrounds while spreading the positive values of unity, health and friendship.
He emphasised that through its long-term support for the event, the Group hopes to contribute towards strengthening people-to-people relations and ensuring that the spirit of friendship and cooperation continues to flourish.
The Malaysia-China Friendship Association Sabah is organising the event for the seventh year, although two editions were previously suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Oh expressed his sincere appreciation to Luen Thai Group and Tan for their continuous support and encouragement throughout the years.
“A successful and growing event depends greatly on the trust and support of society and corporate partners. Luen Thai Group has walked alongside us throughout the years, providing not only practical assistance and resources but also tremendous confidence and encouragement,” he said.
Dr Oh noted that the Jom! Malaysia-China Friendship Run is more than just a sporting event, as it also carries the mission of promoting people-to-people exchanges, deepening friendship and encouraging healthy living.
“We hope this platform allows more people to experience the joy of sports while further strengthening Malaysia-China friendship through interaction and exchange.
Moving forward, the association will continue improving the quality of the event and attracting more participants, making it an even more influential exchange platform,” he added.
He said the association would continue collaborating with various sectors to promote activities related to culture, education, sports and youth exchanges, thereby contributing to regional cooperation and friendship among communities.
The Jom! Malaysia-China Friendship Run 2026 will be held on July 26, with the flag-off scheduled for 6am at Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu. Participants will run to the traffic roundabout outside the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque at Likas Bay before returning to the starting point, covering a distance of seven kilometres.
Over the years, the event has enjoyed strong support from Skechers in promoting sports participation and healthy living among Sabahans.
This year, in addition to sponsoring lucky draw prizes worth more than RM43,000, participants will receive an event goodie bag containing an official T-shirt, eco-friendly bag, a 25 per cent discount voucher for Skechers products, a race bib and a finisher’s medal.
The event will feature 249 lucky draw prizes worth a total of RM43,608. The grand prize is a one-year supply of running shoes worth RM5,508, awarded in the form of RM459 worth of running shoes each month for 12 consecutive months.
Other prizes include RM2,000 for one winner, RM1,000 for two winners, RM500 for five winners, RM300 for 10 winners, RM200 for 30 winners, RM150 for 50 winners and RM100 for 151 winners.
The organisers said every participant stands a chance to win a prize and encouraged members of the public to register early to secure their event packs. Registration is RM80 per participant.
For registration and enquiries, the public may contact 016-8304020, 012-8332282, 016-8363960 or 012-8060944, or email mazhongfriendship@gmail.com.
