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.