Convoy reaches Kapit from Kuching in one day
KAPIT: For the prime initiator of ‘ Trans Kapit 4x4 Expedition 2017’, Richard Voon Foh Jin, it was a wish come true for him to be able to drive his vehicle to Kapit.
Voon and his companions had every reason to be happy because they were the first to drive here on board a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle convoy from Kuching before the road was completed.
They are members of Sakta 4x4 Travel and Adventure Club Sarawak.
“I told my fellow men, we must hit Kapit town in our 4WDs before the road was completed. Even though it was a very rugged journey because the road was still under construction –we had to navigate through logging and oil palm tracks and the muddy roads – we made it. I was proud that my wish was fulfilled at last when we drove our 4WDs from Kuching to Kapit in one day,” said Voon when contacted.
He said 38 participants travelled on board 18 fully-modified 4WDs. They left Kuching at 5am on Aug 18 and reached Kapit at 6.30pm that same day, covering a distance of some 700km – passing Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Kanowit and Song.
The convoy took a short break for lunch at Kanowit where they checked and refuelled their vehicles. They left Kanowit at 2pm, passing through the newly constructed Kanowit bridge and also Katibas bridge, and the very steep, winding oil palm and logging road between Ngemah and Song.
At 78, Voon is the oldest in the convoy. He recalled that back in 1998, they made a trip to Kapit – the convoy was known as ‘Inner Sarawak Safari’ then.
“At the time, we drove from Kuching to Durin. From there, our vehicles were shipped to Kapit by landing craft. Then from Kapit, we drove along logging tracks
I told my fellow men, we must hit Kapit town in our 4WDs before the road was completed. Even though it was a very rugged journey because the road was still under construction –we had to navigate through logging and oil palm tracks and the muddy roads – we made it. I was proud that my wish was fulfilled at last when we drove our 4WDs from Kuching to Kapit in one day. Richard Voon Foh Jin, prime initiator of Trans Kapit 4x4 Expedition 2017
to Taman Baleh, Sri Ku Camp, Samlin at Long Murum, Lusong Laku, Sungai Asap, Long San, Long Mato, Long Lallang, Long Akan, Long Beliu to Murut Resort and then back to Kuching,” Voon related.
He said another journey was made in 2014, involving a journey from Kuching to Tatau, Sangan, Nanga Merit coal mine, Nanga Tuli and Pelagus.
Commenting on Kapit, Voon was all thumbs-up, saying: “Fantastic, beautiful landscape – a city in the jungle. Wonderful people, they gave us the warmest welcome.
“The people of Kapit are friendly and helpful. I hope this unique culture would be preserved and continue to be practised in making Kapit a melting pot of diverse ethnic and cultural mix.
“I learn that there are many races here – Iban, Orang Ulu, Chinese, Malay amongst them. It is great that all of us could sit together at the same coffee shop, unlike elsewhere.”
Voon said they were lucky to know Jason Yeo, whose wife is from Serian.
“He helped arrange our stay in Kapit,” he said.
The group visited SJKC Hock Lam, the only Chinese aided primary school here, where they met the pupils and their teachers.
There, they gave a donation of RM4,000 to the school for its building fund, upon learning that it needed RM1.5 million to construct a three-storey concrete block for 14 classrooms.
They also made similar journeys to Sambas ( Kalimatan), Brunei and Sabah.