KUALA LUMPUR: Travelling around Peninsular Malaysia in 36 hours will certainly leave a memorable experience, especially when done through an endurance rally using classic and antique vehicles of various brands and from various eras.
The “Rentas Peninsular 2023” programme was organised by the classic car club known as Practical Classic Drivers, which was jointly founded by R. Premkumar and Dr Haridev Devdas.
The “Rentas Peninsular 2023” offered participants the opportunity to travel around the peninsula through interior areas and expressways, as well as the opportunity to meet the local community, learn about their culture and discover interesting locations that can be promoted for tourism.
The event was inspired by the cross-country event, Cannonball Run, which used classic cars in the United States, following the success of the popular movie The Cannonball Run in the 80s and 90s.
According to Premkumar, 41, a total of 30 participants from the country and abroad, involving 18 classic vehicles participated in the country’s inaugural 2023 Cross Peninsular event.
Among the classic vehicles that participated were Saab 900 16v turbo, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar XJS, Range Rover Classic, VW transporter, Volkswagen Beetle, Mk2 Ford Escort Mk2 1300GT, and BMW E36 328i, with the BMW E92 330cin as the security vehicle.
“The objective of the event was to cross all the states in Peninsular Malaysia within the stipulated time which is between 36 to 48 hours covering a distance of 1,600 kilometres.
“There was no fee imposed, but participants are encouraged to give their contributions directly into the accounts of selected non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as donations,” he said in a statement to Bernama.
Premkumar said participants were flagged-off in stages starting from Ipoh, Perak, and the last in Perlis the following day,
“The route between Bandar Muazam Shah, Pahang, towards Segamat, Johor was very challenging. We had to be careful because it was dark and the road condition was very bad. It was really scary, especially with the presence of trailer lorries.
“We also had problems when our cars broke down with damaged rear brake calipers, punctured tyres, damaged fuel meters, and there were those in need of maintenance,” he said.
He said participants found the expedition satisfying as it gave them the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery and experience various cultures in each state.
Premkumar said they managed to collect a total of RM16,000 which was handed over to an NGO known as PapanSouls in Papan, Perak.
He hoped that the charity travel programme could be continued because it gave participants the opportunity to explore and see for themselves the beauty of nature, thus promoting the country to foreign tourists.
Premkumar said the club was also planning to organise another charity drive programme, “Rentas Pantai”, covering 800 km along the coastal areas from Lumut, Perak to Besut, Terengganu, scheduled on May 24 to 26. – BERNAMA
