Merdeka Expedition :Adventure, Charity and Goodwill

MERDEKA EXPEDITION: ADVENTURE, CHARITY AND GOODWILL By Shakir Husain Shakir Husain, Bernama’s correspondent in New Delhi shares his take from the Indian sub-continent. NEW DELHI, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian motorcycle club ended its expedition covering 13,000 kilometres in six countries on a patriotic note by celebrating Malaysia Day in southern India. Roaring with a passion for adventure, the group of six bikers had set off on their trip on Aug 8 from Kuala Lumpur, flagged off by Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. They concluded the journey on Sept 16 with a Hari Malaysia celebration at the Malaysian consulate in Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Malaysia Day celebrated on Sept 16, marks the day Malaysia was formed in 1963 when Sabah and Sarawak became a part of the country. The convoy of Shadowfax Malaysia Motorcycle Club (Shadowfax MC) led by R. Muruga Nantham, who is known popularly as Anand, arrived in India after travelling through Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal. Along the way, they interacted with people of different backgrounds, explored cultures and landscapes, unleashed their adventurous spirit, and made financial contributions to a few voluntary organisations involved in charity work. Anand and his colleagues had undertaken foreign tours before, but the six-nation Asia trip, dubbed as the "Merdeka Ride", was a unique experience in navigating not just the roads but also different sets of cultures and rules. "People everywhere were nice to us. They came to talk to us and some were surprised how we could ride all the way from Malaysia. They took selfies with us and that caused traffic jams in some places. You can easily connect with people riding like this," Anand told Bernama during the bikers' Delhi stop. The group participated in the National Day celebrations at the Malaysian High Commission on Aug 31 along with Indian bikers of the Capital Chapter of Harley Owners Group. The Malaysians also received support from various motorcycle clubs when they rode into Chennai. Roughly half of the distance covered was in India as the Malaysians passed through the states of Nagaland, Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Their rides were mostly trouble-free as they had planned the journey well and networked with bikers in key places, but they also encountered some difficulties. "It was very tough from Myanmar to Nepal due to rains, landslides and floods," Anand said. The muddy roads in the two countries tested their endurance as well. The journey in India was rather smooth, according to the bikers, and in some places they even received police escorts. There was one occasion when the group feared their plans could go awry. One of their bikes had broken down in Kathmandu and while it was being transported to Delhi on a truck they lost contact with the driver for 24 hours. They informed the police in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow and made frantic contacts with the authorities. Finally, the transport department in the northern state of Haryana was able to track down the truck driver. It emerged that his phone battery had died and no one was able to reach him. The bike was made roadworthy again by a team of Harley Davidson engineers. "It needed an engine overhaul and the Harley Davidson team in India did a great job in fixing it in 12 hours," Anand said. The complications of crossing borders with their bikes were taken care of by the international customs and export-import document known as Carnet or ATA Carnet, which allows duty-free temporary entry of goods into a member country without the need to pay duty and complete various other formalities. Among those who supported the expedition, the riders said MIC youth chief Sivarraajh Chandran was notable in providing help. Anand said networking with people and groups was important in accomplishing the expedition. The crucial part was planning. Staying fit and healthy required taking every possible precaution. The bikers had taken vaccinations against certain infections. According to Anand, each rider spent about US$20,000 during their six-week trip. Effective communication was key to their successful journey. Shadowfax MC made good use of social media to connect with people and the riders used their Facebook pages for posting regular updates. -- BERNAMA