Foundation to hold timed rally

JAKARTA (JP): The foundation of Manunggal Karsa Nusantara will hold a timed rally called Margarana Pelabuhan Ratu on Oct. 21-22.

The organizing committee's chairman, Ktut Suwardana, said on Friday that the 500-kilometer timed rally will offer a total of Rp 10 million (US$4,415) cash prizes.

He said that the rally will start on Oct. 21 from Wisata International Hotel in Central Jakarta and end on the following day at Samudra Beach Hotel in Pelabuhan Ratu of West Java, through the Bogor-Sukabumi-Pandeglang route.

The second annual rally, held in cooperation with the Rally Tama Group, is a commemoration of three events including the Puputan War against the Dutch in Margarana erupted on Nov. 20, 1946, National Heroes Day which falls on Nov. 10 and the golden anniversary of the country's independence, Antara news agency quoted Ktut as saying.

He said that I Gusti Ngurah Rai, one of Indonesia's heroes, died in the Puputan war in Tabanan, while Margarana is a cemetery for national heroes.

A rally organizer, Rio Sarwono, said that the tour rally is open both for beginners, females and leading national rally drivers, in which any kind of vehicles with proper seats allowed by the traffic rules must be used.

Wiranto Urip and Bangun, driving a Suzuki, won the first rally last year which was held in around the city of Jakarta. (icn)