By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, March 12: Twelve riders on high-powered motorcycles are embarking on a 10-day ride spanning 2,800km across three countries in Borneo.
Taking part in the ‘Sarawak Borneo Cross Country Rally 2019’ are both locals and foreigners. They started their journey from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on March 8 and is expected to wrap it up in Kuching on March 17.
They arrived at Miri Resort City yesterday (March 11) and headed off to Bintulu this morning after mayor Adam Yii flagged them off at Marina Bay.
Participant Rachant S. Chawla, from Thailand, told DayakDaily that he was impressed with what he saw of Miri.
“It is my first time coming here (Miri city). It is a beautiful and sophisticated city,” said this biker of Sikh parentage.
Rachant disclosed that he had been actively involved in cross-border motorcycle tours for the last 10 years, but this is his first in Borneo.
“It is a good opportunity for me to explore Borneo on my two wheels,” he said.
According to event organiser Kho Sze Min of Unides Events Sdn Bhd, the rally covers Sabah (Kota Kinabalu, Labuan), Brunei, Miri, Bintulu, Sibu, Kuching and Pontianak (Kalimantan, Indonesia).
“The rally is part of our effort to help promote cross-border tourism. This is our pilot initiative for our annual event.
“The rally is also a prelude to our project this coming May with our China partner, where they will be launching a two-wheel bike rental tourism app. Through this app, bikers can rent out their bikes and earn cash. Our company (Unides Events) is taking charge of the South East Asian edition,” he revealed.
He added that his firm planned to kick-start the app in Sarawak in conjunction with the Visit Sarawak Year.
“The app is an economic initiative for bikers in China, and I believe that it will also benefit our bikers when we adopt it here,” he reckoned.
Meanwhile, Yii, when met later, applauded the organiser for putting together this event.
“It is a praiseworthy effort as it helps the government to promote motor tourism,” said Yii. — DayakDaily
