‘Expedition a platform to know Sarawak terrain, local folk’
BINTULU: The Border Regiment’s Kenyalang Cycling Expedition made its second stop for its ‘Jiwa Murni’ project at Rumah Vicky Angkalom, KM5, Bintulu-TatauSibu road yesterday.
A total of 35 personnel were involved in the project to clean up the compound of the longhouse.
Commanding officer of the 7th Battalion Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Rokaib Ahmad, said the expedition gave members plenty of knowledge and experience on the geographical challenges in Sarawak.
The expedition, he added, was also the best platform for them to get to know the people on the ground better and gave them the opportunity to foster closer rapport with various agencies along the way to their final destination.
The inaugural 10-day expedition started Tuesday from the Sungai Tujuh Customs, Immigration and Quarantine ( CIQ) complex in Miri and will end at Tanjong Datu, near Kuching.
“As we make our way from CIQ Sungai Tujuh Miri to Tanjong Datu – a distance of about 988 kilometres – we also take the opportunity to carry out our Jiwa Murni projects at locations where we stop,” he said when met at the longhouse yesterday.
The 7th Battalion of the Border Regiment was formed in 2015 and has been operational since April last year.
“We have been temporarily based at Similajau National Service Training Programme ( PLKN) camp in Bintulu for over a year and are still recruiting new personnel. This battalion has yet to be fully commissioned,” said Rokaib, adding the battalion has a total of 258 personnel to- date, which will increase to 348 personnel by end of this year.
Meanwhile, Tuai Rumah Vicky Angkalom praised the programme, saying she was happy that her 34- door longhouse, with over 200 residents, was selected for the project.