Bike week to promote integration, tourism

December 10, 2013

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Members of Persatuan Motosikal Darussalam (Pemoda) from Brunei with president of Razz Chopper Motor Club, Abdul Razak Abdul Salam (back row, twelfth right).

SIBU: Sibu Bike Week should be organised on a bigger scale to promote tourism, regional relationship and racial integration, said Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Talib Zulpilip.

“Sibu Bike Week is a good way to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. I am all for it,” he said.

“We can invite people from all over Sarawak, Malaysia, Kalimantan and Brunei. This is good for regional relationship,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee had suggested that Bike Week be put on the tourism calendar of events.

Wong described it as an interesting event that would grow in magnitude in time to come.

Talib, who is Jepak assemblyman, recalled that last Sunday they had a group of elderly cyclists from Taiwan and Singapore, the youngest aged 68.

Youth Development Assistant Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah reckoned that bike week would be a good platform to strengthen racial integration and harmony.

“Being a biking enthusiast myself, I can see that love for bike, whether big bike, scooter, classic bike, cruiser or any type of bike goes beyond racial and religious divide.

“A big biker, when seeing another biker having mechanical problems on the highway, will stop to help even though he does not know him. That is the kind of comradeship existing among bikers,” he noted.

The Asajaya assemblyman added that this kind of spirit need to be fostered to enhance racial harmony.

The colourful event organised by Razz Chopper Motor Club in collaboration with Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) gathered 1,500 bikers from Borneo and overseas.