T

hree Indonesian offroad racers have entered the 27th edition of the Borneo Safari, held in the Malaysian state of Sabah from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5. The drivers are Suwandy Tandrin and co-driver Ronald Octavianus from Samarinda, East Kalimantan and Alex Musni Hafas of Banda Aceh.

“We brought our vehicle directly from Samarinda,” Suwandy said, who is competing in a modified Mercedez G jeep during the race.

He added that the car had travelled 3,000 kilometers of road all the way from Kalimantan to Malaysia before the race. The trip, he went on, was tailored to check the condition of the car before competing.

The flagging-off ceremony was staged in front of the Sabah Tourism Board office.

The Borneo Safari is a world renowned international offroad event, and the biggest in Asia. As many as 412 four-wheel vehicles from nine countries, including China, Brunei and Australia, are participating in this year’s race.

Besides the race, the organizers have also arranged charity activities at Mandalipau and Karamatoi, two remote villages located near Mount Kinabalu.