Sarawak’s a great country for a motoring adventure because it is huge – the size of Peninsular Malaysia – and there are so many destinations off-the-beaten track to explore if you have your own transport.
Perodua Axia cars – arguably the smallest cars in Malaysia – are gamely driven on Sarawak roads and it’s very likely that the motorists reached their destinations safely.
But for comfort’s sake and the longevity of the vehicle, a larger 4×4 or an All-Wheel Drive/Softroader like a Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, Kia Sportage and of course the Toyota Fortuner, is ideal for adventure motoring in Sarawak and the rest of Borneo.
Alistair Tinggang, the hardworking organising chairman of Sakta’s first Sarawak Jamboree a few years before, said that this year’s event, which ran from Dec 12-16, observed a few rules to minimise the impact of the vehicles on the environment.
Firstly, there would be a limit on group size so that there wouldn’t be traffic congestion along the jungle tracks.
On the same environmental issues, Anthony Aloh, who will lead the convoy of 12 media trucks, said that participants are encouraged to refill their drinking water using their own water bottles rather than drinking from single-use mineral water bottles.
Media personnel also need to bring their own plates and cutlery so that they don’t chuck these for the chuck wagon crew to wash.
This year’s Sarawak International 4×4 Jamboree is located within the Miri Division, the second largest of Sarawak’s 12 Divisions.
The 130 or so 4×4 trucks will be flagged off at Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club, Miri, and participants will be on the road for about three hours (about 100km) to the off-road sector from Lapok junction and heading for Long Lama and then turning right and heading for Kampung Long Selapon.
The unpaved tracks are the public roads for the hundreds of long houses in the middle and upper reaches of the Baram and Tinjar rivers. The challenge will be the rising waters of the rivers and the generally slippery conditions of the laterite tracks.
On the other hand, there will be many waterfalls along the way and the banks of the Sungai Tinjar that should provide some appealingly pristine camp sites.
The Dulit range of mountains that feeds Sg Tinjar will make the camping quite cold at night – a welcome change for Malaysians hemmed in by the humidity of the tropics.
“You can see the skies are dark and it’s been raining. The tracks are already wet and be ready to engage 4×4 as soon as we go off-road from Lapok,” warned Aloh at a pre-event dinner for media personnel who arrived early.
The Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP), Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, flagged off the Sarawak International 4×4 Jamboree.
Yamin Vong participated using his Borneo media truck – a 1995 Toyota LC 80 Series with a 12,000 lb electric winch, Extreme Terrain tyres, lockers front and back, and dual batteries with isolator.
He’s already planning his next adventure to Sungai Kayan in East Kalimantan with two trucks and eight campers including three sports anglers.