Responding to a question from Fawwaz Jan (PN-Permatang Pauh), Yeoh said these women were appointed as promotional staff or brand ambassadors for various companies involved in the races.

They also market, promote, and advertise the MotoGP teams, she added.

“Sepang International Circuit’s (SIC) role (in these races) is to provide the facilities at the circuit.

“However, the ministry, through SIC, holds engagements with the organiser from time to time to improve the quality and content of the Grand Prix when held in Malaysia, taking into account religious and cultural sensitivities at the same time,” she said in a written Dewan Rakyat reply.

Yeoh also reiterated that protecting the religious and cultural sensitivities of the nation’s multiracial community was very important to her ministry.

Fawwaz, the Penang PAS information chief, had asked Yeoh if her ministry planned to put an end to the “tradition” of having grid girls dressed in sexy attire at motorsports events held by the ministry or government-linked companies.

Yeoh said the MotoGP Grand Prix in Sepang last year attracted 184,923 people, including more than 18,000 foreign tourists.

She added that a study by SIC found that the 2022 MotoGP had contributed over RM150 million to the local economy.