Amazing Race Asia 1, Leg 1 Timeline: Kuala Lalala... Kuala Lulale... France!

Money for this race leg: $50.00
Money for the entire race: $50.00

Day One
Friday, May 26th, 2006

Before the race begins, host Allan Wu introduces the teams racing as they walk to the start line at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. The teams are:

A) Ernie/Jeena, married and representing the Philippines
B) Zabrina/Joe Jer, coworkers representing Malaysia
C) Mardy/Marsio, brothers representing Indonesia
D) Aubrey/Jacqueline, best friends representing the Philippines
E) Sandy/Francesca, dating couple representing Hong Kong
F) Andrew/Syeon, dating couple representing Malaysia
G) Howard/Sahran, best friends representing Sri Lanka
H) Sharon/Melody, friends representing Singapore
I) Sahil/Prashant, male models representing India
J) Andy/Laura, engaged couple representing Thailand

When Allan says 'go', teams run to their bags and read the first clue. It reads: "Shop till you drop. Make your way to Times Square Shopping Centre, also known as Berjaya Times Square. Once there, go to the eighth level. You have $50 for this leg of the race."

Teams are shown arriving at their bags and reading the clue:
1) Sahil/Prashant
2) Zabrina/Joe Jer
3) Sandy/Francesca
4) Mardy/Marsio
5) Ernie/Jeena
6) Sharon/Melody
7) Andy/Laura
8) Howard/Sahran
Not shown) Aubrey/Jacqueline; Andrew/Syeon

They all take taxis to the mall, and arrive at the eighth floor:
1) Zabrina/Joe Jer
2) Andew/Syeon
3) Aubrey/Jacqueline
4) Mardy/Marsio
5) Howard/Sahran
6) Ernie/Jeena
7) Sahil/Prashant
8) Sharon/Melody
9) Andy/Laura
10) Sandy/Francesca

There, they find out that each team member must perform a seven-storey free abseil to the ground. Team members may opt to not complete the task, but will incur a time penalty of unshown length. Nobody opts for this penalty, and teams complete the task:
1) Zabrina/Joe Jer
2) Andrew/Syeon
3) Aubrey/Jacqueline
4) Ernie/Jeena
5) Mardy/Marsio
6) Sahil/Prashant
7) Howard/Sahran
8) Sharon/Melody
9) Andy/Laura
10) Sandy/Francesca

Teams are now directed to take taxis to Kompleks Kraf, an outdoor art and craft complex, to get the next clue. They arrive there:

1) Zabrina/Joe Jer
2) Ernie/Jeena
3) Andrew/Syeon
4) Aubrey/Jacqueline
5) Mardy/Marsio
6) Sahil/Prashant
7) Sharon/Melody
8) Sandy/Francesca (though the caption shows them in 7th Place)
9) Howard/Sahran (though the caption shows them in 8th Place)
10) Andy/Laura

And encounter their first:

Paint <--DETOUR--> Pot

Teams selecting PAINT must trace, wax, and paint a flower design in a local artform called Batik, to the satisfaction of the judge. PROS: Task is less difficult. CONS: Task is more complicated.
Teams selecting POT must correctly make one clay pot on a kickwheel to the satisfaction of a judge, with one team member forming the pot and the other controlling the wheel's speed. PROS: Task is less complicated. CONS: Task is more difficult.

Ernie/Jeena choose Pot, all other teams choose Paint. They finish their chosen option:

1) Zabrina/Joe Jer
2) Andrew/Syeon
3) Ernie/Jeena, who needed two attempts
4) Mardy/Marsio
5) Aubrey/Jacqueline
6) Sharon/Melody
7) Howard/Sahran
8) Sandy/Francesca, who needed two attempts
9) Sahil/Prashant, who needed two attempts
10) Andy/Laura

Teams must now choose a car and drive themselves to City Carting Enterprise, a carting company in the shadow of Shah Alam Stadium (which was one of the main venues for the 1998 Commonwealth Games). There, they must each ride "four complete and consecutive laps" of the race track in order to get the next clue. Teams arrive at the track:

1) Andrew/Syeon
2) Zabrina/Joe Jer
3) Mardy/Marsio
4) Aubrey/Jacqueline
5) Ernie/Jeena
6) Sharon/Melody
7) Andy/Laura
8) Howard/Sahran
9) Sahil/Prashant
10) Sandy/Francesca

And finish their required eight laps:

1) Andrew/Syeon
2) Mardy/Marsio
3) Aubrey/Jacqueline
4) Ernie/Jeena
5) Zabrina/Joe Jer
6) Sharon/Melody
7) Andy/Laura
8) Sahil/Prashant
9) Howard/Sahran
10) Sandy/Francesca

Teams receive a clue which tells them to head to the next Pit Stop, at Menara Kuala Lumpur (aka KL Tower). To get there, they must first drive to Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, and proceed on foot along a winding path through the forest to the tower. Teams arrive:

1) Mardy/Marsio, who do not win a prize
2) Ernie/Jeena
3) Zabrina/Joe Jer
4) Aubrey/Jacqueline
5) Andrew/Syeon (who had arrived first but were sent back for not following the final clue correctly)
6) Sharon/Melody
7) Andy/Laura
8) Sahil/Prashant
9) Howard/Sahran
10) Sandy/Francesca, who are not eliminated. They are to give Allan all their money, and will not be receiving any at the start of the next leg.