Indonesia to join Rainforest Challenge

Indonesia to join Rainforest Challenge

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Off-road Federation (IOF) will send a team to
the Rainforest Challenge 2005 in Malaysia, which runs from Nov.
26 to Dec. 5.

IOF chairman Djoko Pramono said here on Thursday that the
team, named Srongpas, would comprise 11 crew members led by Harry
Sanusi with Muhammad Harjanto as the main driver.

The other members include Kardiyanto Mudali Hans, Handoko
Legono, Grice Yuli Susbandoro, Achmad Mujiran, Imam Suparmo, D.
Fahrudin, Yogi Yogaswara, Achmad Husein Mukti and Fredrik
Hayakawa Tarigan.

"It will be a good experience for me and I hope I can
raise my country's name in a world-class event," Harjanto said
during a press conference here on Thursday.

It will be Indonesia's first participation in the event but
Djoko, who is the National Sports Council (KONI) head of
development affairs, hoped that the team would be able to match
world competitors.

Twenty-seven countries have registered for the event: China,
Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom,
Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, the U.S., South Africa,
Guatemala and Indonesia.

The Indonesian team, who will compete in a Toyota FJ 40, will
depart on Nov. 22.

"I have no idea about my competitors but I believe I can
compete against them... the off-road routes at home are more
difficult than those overseas," 2003 Diplomat Challenge champion
Harjanto said.