India-ASEAN car rally ends in Batam

India-ASEAN car rally ends in Batam

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau Islands

After traveling for 20 days from Guwahati, India, the India-
ASEAN rally finished here on Saturday with only 22 of 60 cars
continuing the final stage from Singapore to Indonesia.

The non-competitive rally covered a total of 8,000 kilometers
encompassing routes in India, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam,
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

Sixty cars with 280 participants took part in the rally but
upon arriving in Singapore only 22 cars carried on to Batam.

"The rest of the cars decided not to continue the trip to
Batam because there were not enough RORO ferries to transfer
them," Didi Munajat, an official of the Indonesia Automotive
Federation (IMI), said at a reception ceremony for the
participants.

The participants, from India and ASEAN countries including,
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, were flagged down by
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda at the Batam
Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) office on Saturday.

Hassan applauded the India-ASEAN rally and said Batam, a free-
trade area, was a good place to end it.

The ceremony was attended by Indian Ambassador to Indonesia
Hemant Krishan Singh, Riau Island Governor Ismeth Abdullah,
National Sports Council chairman Agum Gumelar and Tarun Gogoi,
the chief minister of India's northeastern Assam state.

"Indeed, these historical and civilized linkages constitute a
unique bond between the peoples of India and ASEAN. And nowhere
is this pattern more pervasive and evident than Indonesia, our
host today, with its pluralistic, multi-cultural and tolerant
society spread across more than 17,000 islands," Ambassador Singh
said in a speech during the ceremony.

"The rally has amply demonstrated the connectivity which binds
us together as geographical neighbors, both terrestrial and
maritime. The northeastern states of India are eagerly looking to
enhance their trade, economic, cultural, investment and tourism
relations with their neighboring countries of ASEAN.

"The collective efforts of both India and ASEAN will provide a
major impetus to the development of regional infrastructure,
boosting economic growth and prosperity," he said.

Rio Sarwono, a participant from Indonesia, said that the rally
gave him a new and unique experience traveling a long and
challenging distance.

"Most participants hope the rally will be held again next
year," he said.