One Life. Live It. (The Camel & I)

Yours truly, circa May 1993, somewhere near Tenom, Sabah.

I was a part of something big a long time ago, something that has had a deep influence on me ever since. It has been nearly a quarter century since I got up close and personal with the ultimate 4X4 adventure, the Camel Trophy, and it is still a part of me. In my own mind at least.
No, I was not fortunate to have been one of the participants vying for the coveted Trophy. After being captivated by the cool and oh-so macho ads for several years, the opportunity to be among those rugged adventurers came along in 1992, when I was about to turn 30.
I was living and working as a journalist in Sabah when it was announced that the beautiful north Borneo state had been chosen to host Camel Trophy the following year, 1993.
What joy, what excitement! I had just completed my first ever major 4X4 expedition, the Borneo Safari, and was already hooked.
But my own life was in a state of flux. An opportunity had come along that I could not pass up, a chance to work with The Star, a major national newspaper that also meant a big step forward in my career from the small regional newspapers that I had been working for (and enjoyed doing so, might I add).

With Team Italia (from left) Giovanni Formica, me, Francesco Rapisarda,
Matteo Ghiazza and a journalist whose name I do not recall.

Not only were the Camel Trophy selection trials set during a period when I was busy with preparations for the big move across the South China Sea, the actual dates coincided with the wedding of my only brother. So, I had to pass on it, and probably miss my best opportunity to be a part of this great adventure.
While still in Sabah, shortly before Christmas, my Sunday morning lie-in was shattered by the telephone. I ignored it, but it would not stop. So, I had to get up and answer it.
“Paul, can you go to Milan?” It must be some kind of bad joke. On a Sunday morning. I had already resigned from my job in Sabah.
But the voice was familiar, the nice PR (public relations) lady from Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation.
“Can you go to Milan?” she repeated when I mumbled something unintelligible.
“Milan, as in Italy?” I asked. The furthest I had been sent on assignment in the past three years was Semporna (yes, that’s also in Sabah).
“Of course Italy, is there any other? More importantly, do you have a passport?”
Yes, I had a passport, and within 24 hours, after a lot of hurrying to collect air tickets and round up cash, I was on my way to Europe for the very first time.
It was the bad luck of my good friend Freddie Ch’ng who was supposed to go but had his house broken into and his passport stolen a couple of days earlier. Sorry, Freddie, your loss was my gain.
The reason for this surprising turn of events was the Camel Trophy. The Italians had invited the then Sabah Foundation chairman, Tengku Adlin, to go and give a talk in the northern city of Milan about the coming event, in particular about the “Lost World” of the Maliau Basin.
So it was that a son of Borneo landed at Malpensa Airport, dressed in full Camel Adventure apparel while, all around, the local signoras were bundled up in furs and the gents in great coats.
The airport was being renovated so the aero-bridges could not be used. We had to walk across the tarmac to the terminal. I had brought winter gear but it was in the luggage. Not a good start.
After a few more misadventures through inexperience, we finally made it to the Milan office of RJ Reynolds, where their PR Francesco Rapisarda manager showed me what the Camel Trophy had been all about.

Tengku Adlin (2nd right, front row) and the other local officials.

In the event just past, Guyana 1992, the clippings from newspaper coverage alone, excluding other media, was compiled into a book two inches (50mm) thick! That was how wildly popular the Camel Trophy was!
He reeled off more figures - more than a million Germans had applied to take part, along with several hundreds of thousands in each of the other European nations involved, including Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Russia, etc.
We were then introduced to the Italian team of Matteo Ghiazza and Giovanni Formica, who would pilot the Sandglow Discovery through the jungle trails of Sabah in the coming months.
Tengku Adlin gave a passionate speech about the wonders of Sabah that they could look forward to seeing, and we learned that state’s name may not be familiar to the Italians but they all knew the name of Sandakan. Well, Sandokan anyway, close enough. Apparently, it is a place featured in a popular series of stories for children so every Italian grew up dreaming of visiting Sandokan some day.

An icon of Camel Trophy, the pontoon raft in action.

For the fortunate four (two primary participants and two reserves) from each other participating nations, Italy continued to be a part of the story because a week of intensive training was held in the mountainous north of the country. But I was not a part of that and, in fact, thought that was about as close as I would ever get to the iconic event.
I was in Kuala Lumpur when the adventurers and crew flew into Kota Kinabalu.
Then, another unexpected phone call. Would I like to go back to Sabah? To cover the Camel Trophy?
And just like that, I was off on another adventure, this time even greater than Milan.
Leaving familiar KK behind, I could barely believe I was really going to be part of the great adventure as I rode the rickety train from Tanjung Aru to Beaufort where we joined up with the convoy of yellow (okay, technically Sandglow) Land Rovers, also riding on a special train, on our way to Tenom.

It felt like being in an Indiana Jones movie as we enjoyed the scenic views of the Padas Gorge from the flatbed cars and carriages reminiscent of the Wild Wild West while a couple of helicopters swooped up and down the railway, shooting video.
The next few days were spent camping near the river as the participants were put through their paces, competing in various special stages and exhibiting newly-acquired skills in setting up the inflatable pontoon raft that could ferry a heavily laden Discovery across the river.
To say I was happy would have been an understatement. I loved the challenges, the great outdoors, the camaraderie of the multinational participants and crew, as well as the local 4X4 enthusiasts from the Kinabalu Four Wheel Drive Club (KFWDC) who were drafted as officials. Many of them remain my friends to this day.
Riding on the roof of a Discovery as the convoy made its way back to KK for the finale was icing on the cake.
The Americans won the Camel Trophy that year and the popular and ever-cheerful team from the Canary Island were presented with the Team Spirit Award.

The Malaysian team did not do so well, coming 16th out of 16 competing teams. Some things did not go well that are best left unsaid as I prefer to focus on the positives that came out of the event, and these were huge.
I longed to own one of those magnificent Land Rovers but, for many years, it remained a dream that was out of reach.
I settled for buying and wearing the Camel Adventure apparel, boots, watch, and whatever memorabilia I could lay my hands on.
From the first 4WD, a beat-up Isuzu Trooper I acquired in Sabah just before the 1993 event, I went on to buy more 4X4s, and eventually owned only 4X4s and no saloon cars. As part of the job, I had chances to take part in other adventures, including numerous Ford Lanun Darat trips, the Trans Sahara 2004 with the Petronas Adventure Team, the Mercedes-benz Paris-Beijing 2006 and several Ford Adventures in Cambodia.
But, I never forgot the dream and one day in 2008, I managed to buy a used Discovery of my own so that I could build a replica. I called it “Humphrey” because the Discovery has a hump in the roof, and of course, camels, too. And it is ever so English, like Land Rovers.

'Humphrey' on adventure.

I have gone on to more memorable adventures after shipping it and myself back to my home state of Sarawak, to explore the highlands of Long Semadoh and Ba’kelalan, and crossed the border into the Indonesian part of Borneo, retracing parts of the Camel Trophy 1996 route through Kalimantan to Balikpapan, and visiting Banjarmasin, Sampit, Pontianak and other exotic places.
One is never enough, so I went and acquired a 1986 Land Rover 110, and then another, this time a 2012 Defender. Eventually, the newcomers were also repainted in that iconic shade of yellow, Sandglow LRC 361. So yes, you could say I liked the Camel Trophy.
Out of the blue, on the 25th of July, 2015, I received an email from a Mr. Nick Leadbeter, Chairman of the UK-based Camel Trophy Club, inviting me to be an Honorary Life Member. I am honoured, and I accepted.
The adventure continues even if the event itself ended with the old millennium.
So, what is it that made the Camel Trophy so special to me? Yes, it was a marketing exercise, with interested parties trying to get you to buy their stuff. But unlike the millions of other advertising stunts we are bombarded with each day, the event took on a life of its own, one that was larger than real life.
The beautifully shot stills and videos in the ad campaigns sold us on the idea that there was more to life than the daily grind, that there was a big, wide world out there that we could go explore, even in the late 20th century.
The reality was even better. Gather the fittest and brightest young men and women (military folks excepted) from around the world, give them identical vehicles and equipment, and let them loose on the wildest and toughest terrain out there.
While the “Trophy” bit shows it was a competition, and there were indeed competitive stages that pitted one nation against another, what really made the Camel Trophy memorable was the transport stages.
“Transport” may sound humdrum but just getting from Point A to B in the areas that Camel Trophy went to was truly an adventure.
Mud and sand, bogs and dunes, giant trees or not a blade of green at all, the organisers went out of their way, literally, to scout the world’s most inhospitable places. The Amazon, the Congo, Borneo, Patagonia, Siberia, the Maya heartland, all locales whose names alone would excite Indiana Jones as well as wannabes.
And the best, really best part, was the teamwork that got everyone and every car through each seemingly impassable obstacle. Russians working alongside French helping Japanese and Portuguese, all communicating with some English and a shared love of adventure.
When the finale was over and the trophies handed out, what really remained for the participants and fans was not who won or did not win, but the extraordinary experiences they had shared along the way.
Of course, the event was a big boost for Land Rover as well, even if the reality was that Camel Trophy actually began with three Jeeps! Over the years, unforgettable of the various models of Solihull’s finest have been etched permanently in the subconscious - a Landy can go anywhere, if the drivers are up to it. Which is why I ended up with three of them.
One Life. Live It.

Matteo Ghiazza blows his horn.

More vintage photos from Camel Trophy Sabah 1993

Today ... because one is never enough.

More pictures of "Humphrey - The Making Of ..."

An honour, gratefully accepted. Thanks, guys.

Fuel economy, and the factors affecting it

7.1l/100km is a pretty good fuel economy figure for a five-cylinder 3.2l diesel that can produce 200bhp and 470Nm, like this Ford Ranger XLT.

Yes, it is a matter of growing concern. Fuel is expensive, and the Ringgit is deteriorating.
So, here’s the low down on what affects fuel consumption and how you, as the driver, can adjust your driving style to maximise efficiency.

Modern car engines are mostly run by computers which interpret what the driver wants from his/her inputs at the throttle. These inputs are translated into precisely measured quantities of fuel injected into the engine’s combustion at the right time. Many cars also have computers controlling the gearboxes, in sync with the engines, to further optimise fuel efficiency.

If you have a newish vehicle of a particular make, model and specifications, and achieves fuel economy that is drastically from another person who has the same type of vehicle and it is of similar age, that difference can be attributed to different driving conditions, such as ratio of urban driving to highway driving.

You may, for example, be getting poor economy because you drive a lot in congested city streets while he travels mostly between cities and towns, using mainly the highways. Stop-start motoring wastes more fuel than constant cruising in top gear.

But, before getting into the nitty-gritty of good or bad fuel economy, it's worthwhile to consider how consumption is measured. A common unit used today is litres per hundred kilometres, expressed as the amount of fuel used to travel 100km. Other popular units include km per litre and the old Imperial miles per gallon. I advocate going metric, for reasons of simplicity.

A car counts the kilometres it has travelled by a sensor that measures the number of rotations of a part of the car's drivetrain, that co-relates to the number of times its wheels have turned. This is where it becomes tricky to determine if you have really travelled 100km even when the odometer says you have.

Most new cars have meters that over-read a little, i.e., it may indicate you are going 100km/h when the reality is that you are doing 97km/h. There is a good reason for this - you cannot blame the car maker if you get penalised for speeding. By the time you get zapped at 119km/h, there is no way you can argue that the car's speedometer was showing 110km/h. It was more likely to be showing 124km/h, or something like that.

This optimistic reading does not matter if you keep your car standard and measure fuel consumption under one set of circumstances against another. But it becomes a problem once you change tyres to a different size than the original. If your new tyres are of a bigger diameter, the odometer will show a lower reading for the same distance travelled.

For example, if your odometer showed 200km for a journey from a fixed point near KL to another fixed point in Ipoh, then the odometer may show 194km after the same journey with tyres that are 3% bigger in diameter. This has to be taken into account when calculating fuel consumption. And if you rely on the car's computer, remember that the car does not know that you now have bigger tyres. (It is possible to get the meters re-calibrated but that's another story.)

Heavy Vs Light foot
If you and your housemate work the same hours in the same building downtown and hang out together after hours, and still record widely differing fuel economy with the same type of car - in short, all things being equal - then it is highly likely that driving style is causing the difference.

It takes a lot of energy to accelerate a stationary vehicle from standstill, and a lot more to keep accelerating to a higher speed. It takes a lot less to maintain the vehicle at a moderate constant speed, and then a lot more is need again to maintain it at high speeds, when wind resistance increases.

You burn a lot of fuel to build up speed, converting chemical energy into heat and then into kinetic energy. When you brake to slow down you, turn that kinetic energy into heat again, with the brakes being the parts that gets hot. That energy then gets dissipated into the atmosphere.

So, in city traffic, if you stomp on the accelerator to get up to 50km/h and then stomp on the brakes to come to a screeching halt again, you will have burnt a lot of fuel to heat the air and move just a short distance. Like from one set of traffic lights to the next.

Or you could press just enough on the accelerator to move about half the distance, and lift off the pedal. Let the car coast (other traffic permitting, of course) to the next red light. This way, you burn just enough fuel to get you going, and let momentum or knietic energy carry you along. Friction and air resistance will act to slow you down. If your judgement and timing is spot on, you will need just a gentle press on the brakes just as your car is almost at a standstill anyway, just to avoid hitting the car in front.

In such a scenario, a heavy-footed driver and a calculative light-footed driver will travel the same distance in more or less the same time, but one will use a lot less fuel, all other factors being equal. Plus, one will wear out his brake pads a lot sooner.

There are many variables in city traffic, such as intersections, right of way, congestion, etc, all of which conspire against a smooth, constant drive, which is the sure way to achieve the best fuel economy. But an alert driver who thinks things through can still use fuel more efficiently than one who does not.

Mind the brakes
Even when traffic is flowing smoothly, the ability to read the traffic ahead can aid in fuel efficiency. If the brake lights come on six or seven cars ahead, for example, a careful driver who maintains a safe distance between himself and the car in front may not need to brake but only lifts off his right foot and coasts for a while as he assesses the situation. If it develops into an emergency, he brakes. If it does not, and that driver up ahead braked for a reason that no longer exists or no reason at all, he resumes driving normally.

Each time you brake, you are wasting energy gained from burning fuel, i.e., wasting fuel. So, by keeping a safe distance between yourself and traffic in front and constantly scanning conditions far ahead, you can leave the brakes alone until you really need them. You save on fuel, and over time, also on brake replacement parts.

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), tailgating is bad for fuel economy. You will have to brake every time the car in front slows down for whatever reason.

Having said that, do use the brakes when necessary. No point taking fuel economy to extremes and crashing the car. Common sense and all that, ya?  

Unnecessary overtaking is another way to waste fuel. If you are in a long line of cars on a single-lane trunk road, downshifting gears and stomping on the gas pedal may be necessary to achieve an overtaking manoeuvre, burning copious amounts of fuel to build up speed, then slamming on the brakes to slow down and merge back into the long line as an oncoming lorry whizzes by.

You will have wasted a lot of fuel and heated up your brakes, frighten a few other motorists and your passengers and yourself, and be exactly one car farther ahead in the same long line of cars.

Hit the open road, and you will get better mileage, but ... Yes, there is always a but.

Speed
There is a speed at which fuel efficiency is at its optimum for a particular vehicle. It is the slowest speed at which you can drive comfortably (for the engine, not the driver) in the tallest gear.

This optimum speed is determined by the torque characteristics of the car’s engines and its gear ratios (itself a combination of the main gearbox, the final drive and, in the case of 4X4s, the transfer case ratio).

Learn to read power and torque charts like this, also for the Ford Ranger 3,2l. Choosing the right gear to keep the engine revs between 1,500 and around 2,800 rpm yields the best combination of performance and fuel economy.

For many vehicles, this happens to be between 70 and 90km/h. Go any slower, and the torque may not be enough to push the car along in top gear. When you go faster, wind resistance or drag increases in proportion to the square of the increase in speed. Meaning, if you double the speed, drag rises four times. Pick any speed as a baseline, go 10% faster, drag increases 21%, 20% faster, 44% more drag, etc.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, remember a lot of the fuel that is burnt is the energy needed to overcome the greatly increased drag at increasing speeds. Driving at 140km/h requires a lot more revs and fuel to overcome four times more wind resistance compared to cruising at 70km/h.

Driving style, as in fast & furious (FF) versus cool, calm, collected (CCC), also has a big impact. For maximum efficiency, read the traffic just like you would in congested areas, ease off when you see vehicles braking ahead, when you see a road hog on the overtaking lane who does not give way to others, etc. If you charge right up behind a recalcitrant road hog, then have to brake hard and wait until he moves over, then accelerate hard again, fuel is going to be wasted.

The alternative is to study the situation and plan ahead, lift off the gas to slow down gently, find a way past, then resume cruising at the speed you want to travel. Smoothness is the key.

A good friend and I once travelled from KL to Penang, each of us driving identical new VW Golf GTIs of the same age, and we both refuelled to the brim at the R&R (rest area) at Tapah. Upon reaching Batu Ferringhi, I had more than two-thirds of a tankful left, he had low fuel warning light blinking.

There is no question about YS Khong’s driving ability or credentials, having been the Malaysian rally champion five times. He does enjoy speed, though. Seeing as I also neared the car’s speed limit and cruised at ... ahem, above legal limits, for most of the journey, the difference between his consumption and mine was mainly in aggressiveness.

Weight 
It takes more energy to accelerate a heavy car than a light one. It takes more fuel to accelerate a double cab pick-up with a full load of passengers and maximum payload than it does to accelerate that same vehicle with just a driver aboard. And each time the vehicles slow down, the built-up energy is wasted, and more fuel needs to be burnt to build up speed again.

Theoretically, an unladen vehicle and a heavily loaded version of the same make and model would return similar consumption if both could start rolling together and then travel, say 500 kilometres at a constant speed of 90km/h. The heavy vehicle would incur a fuel penalty only when accelerating from standstill to 90km/h, after which both will need the same energy to overcome the same level of wind resistance. Overall consumption figures will see only a tiny difference favouring the lighter car.

This is all well and good in theory, but in real life, the heavier car will be thirstier than the lighter car because cycles of acceleration and deceleration are very much a part of getting around.

A slippery slope
From walking and running, we know that climbing hills take more effort than cruising on flat ground. In theory, though, the extra energy you put into gaining altitude becomes potential energy which should be recoverable when you descend the other side of the hill. After all, you don't climb up forever, and what goes up must come down.

In reality, that does not always happen. If the slopes are gentle, it is possible to offset the extra fuel need to climb up by coasting down the other side. But, if the slopes are steep, you may need to burn a lot of fuel while climbing, and descend slowly with some braking to ensure a safe descent so some energy will be lost.

DO NOT ever put your gearbox in neutral when coasting, whether you are driving an auto or manual. It is silly and dangerous. Silly because it does not save any fuel, and dangerous because it can result in loss of control and a crash..

All modern cars rely on electronic fuel injection, which cuts off fuel when you don't press on the accelerator pedal. When coasting down a gentle in slope in top gear, it is the car's momentum that keeps the engine turning so whether it is running at 2,000rpm or 3,000rpm, no fuel is burnt. Many modern cars have multi-information displays that show, among other things, instantaneous fuel consumption. Select this and you will see that fuel burn is 0 l/100km when you coast in gear, with right foot off the pedal.

However, if you put the gear in neutral, the ECU (engine control unit) actually needs to inject fuel to keep the engine turning over at idling speed. Idling does not use up much fuel but even a small amount is still more wasteful than none at all.

On top of being wasteful, coasting downhill in neutral is dangerous because you no longer have the benefit of engine braking, and no means of propulsion if you suddenly encounter a situation that requires power to get around or away from. Engine braking is the practice of selecting a lower gear than usual when descending a slope so that the car's momentum or kinetic energy is used to turn the engine over, working against the compression in the cylinders, resulting in a retardation of speed.

Tyres are another factor that has a bearing on fuel economy. Some tyres are especially engineered to give low rolling resistance, possibly with compromises in other aspects of performance. Chances are that changing to other tyres on the basis of aggressive looks, or bigger sizes for more macho style, will hurt fuel economy. There’s a price for looking good, beyond the sticker price of the tyres, and other sacrifices in noise, grip, comfort, etc.

Tyre pressures also influence economy, with higher tyres generally giving better mileage at the expense of comfort. Refer to the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines on pressures. If a range of pressures is given, know that the lower figures usually give a softer, more comfortable ride while the higher figures give better fuel economy. Choose wisely.

There are no rigid guidelines on when an engine is at its most efficient, with some schools of thought insisting a brand new engine is still tight and rough before it is truly run-in, when the working, moving components have polished themselves by rubbing against each other. Some say engines are nicely bedded in at 10,000km, others say 30,000 or 40,000, while some engines begin to get tired at 100,000km or even sooner.

What is not disputed is that a well-serviced and maintained engine will run more efficiently than one that is neglected. Service regularly, use the best quality lubricants and filters recommended by the engine maker, and fuel consumption should remain at optimum levels.

Rise of the Padawan Challenge

The fame of Padawan, as in Jedi-wannabe, may have spread far and wide, even to galaxies far far away but that of Padawan, the district in Sarawak, maybe not so much.

Not so well known it may be but the charms are aplenty here, with friendly inhabitants and picturesque landscapes making it a popular destination for visitors who make it to Kuching.

Padawan encompasses about 1,430 square kilometres south of Kuching city with a population of 300,000, comprising mainly Bidayuh and Chinese, along with Malay and Iban.

Efforts to realise its tourism potential were cranked up a notch recently with the inaugural Padawan International 4X4 Challenge, which attracted a total of 60 teams from as far away as Sabah, Johor, Brunei and Indonesia.

The high-octane contest of men and machines against nature was the highlight of this year’s Padawan Fest, an annual affair which is already known locally for its colourful tapestry of culture, food, music and traditional sports such as rafting and even a triathlon.

For local 4X4 aficionados, the Padawan Challenge was a much needed boost to their favourite sport, which has been lagging in development behind regional neighbours.

Despite the state’s size and rugged terrain favouring the widespread use of robust go-anywhere, all-wheel-drive vehicles, Sarawak has not had a high-profile event to rival Sabah’s 25-year-old Borneo Safari, the Peninsula’s world-class Rainforest Challenge or the numerous big-name events in Kalimantan, or even Brunei.

Although drivers and vehicles from Sarawak have enjoyed success at the highest levels in these neighbouring events, the absence of a comparable local event has been glaringly obvious.

The Padawan Municipal Council picked up the gauntlet early in the year and, with enthusiastic support from the various local 4X4 clubs, things are finally looking up.

Excitement was further heightened by news that some of the superstars of 4X4, including the much-celebrated Borneo Safari 2014 champions “Lozai” Lo Fui Min and “Chuxi” Chang Chiew Shew”, would be going head-to-head with the local heroes.

It would not be just a onlookers’ spectacle either, with three categories created so that there would be plenty of action for any 4X4 fan to test themselves against, according to their own level of experience and appetite for pain.

Just as eagerly anticipated was the arrival of the out-of-state vehicles. Fans of 4X4s are never content with a factory-built car since each person’s ride is expected to reflect his own (and his wallet’s) touch so it was to be a welcome opportunity to see and touch the best works from the Sabahans, Indonesians and Bruneian builders.

Class A was the premier no-holds-barred event, featuring the top drivers in fully souped-up vehicles while Class B was for more moderately modified cars and Class C was a clubman-like event for anyone in a standard four-door, long-wheelbase 4X4s.

The action commenced under a blistering sun, and the crowd was not disappointed. There were thrills and spills aplenty as the less polished crews made amateurish mistakes, such as not engaging their four-wheel-drive or forgetting to start the stopwatch, and were punished for them with disqualification, broken parts and even overturned vehicles.

It became apparent quite early on that the celebrity drivers were a cut above the ordinary, with the Lozai-Chuxi pairing scoring two consecutive wins in the first two special stages (SS). Their brilliant run continued with a second, then another win, a second and a third, and then two more wins, to build an apparently unassailable lead from five clear wins out of eight stages, without a single penalty.

The task of defending hometown honour rested on local hopefuls Jong Jack Koh and Jong “Ah Tee” Ai Loong, who had both tasted successes in competitions abroad, who stayed within reach, just, with a solitary stage win and several top three finishes.

It was by no means a two-horse race, with other contenders such as Sarawak’s Wilfred Sim and Indonesian co-driver Sortono, the second Sabahan pair of Ye Yong Chung-Chin Sei Yeung, and Kuching’s Then Tze Kim-Chai Kuek Leung all in contention for a podium finish.    

With a single SS left to run and a large margin, Lozai and Chuxi seemed a sure bet until the unthinkable happened - they failed to complete the stage, recorded as a “Did Not Finish” or DNF. With that, they could do no more than hope those coming after them would also fail to finish.

On the one hand, several other teams also scored DNFs despite giving their all. On the other, a window of opportunity, however slender, appeared for the trailing pack who had yet to take the last torture test.

With all the makings of a classic cliffhanger, the sun was setting and time was running out as two teams left counted their chances and knew they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by going for broke.

Then and Chai gave the local crowd reason to cheer when they become the first pair to complete the dreaded gully run, but the best they could hope for was a third place.

The two Jongs were up next, with two non-negotiable tasks to accomplish - they must finish the course before the allotted time ran out, and they must do it without incurring penalties - if they were to fulfil the hopes of the tense home crowd.

One can only imagine the pressure on the Jongs as they weighed the difficulty of the task at hand against the outside chance of upsetting the pre-race favourites, and doing it in front of their fans and friends.

Jack Koh and Ah Tee rose to the occasion, made their run with intelligent decisions and, crucially, without making any expensive mistakes. And the crowd roared!

At the sporting level, it was a great success with the local heroes claiming purses of RM10,000 and RM3,000 for their victory and third place, respectively, in the elite category while the much-celebrated favourites were consoled with a respectable second place and RM5,000.

The honours reflected the international flavour of the Padawan Challenge, with the Indonesian pair of Cicing-Hendrian Lim topping Group B, and victory in Group C claimed by the Bruneian pair of Au Fook Hwa-Vance Lee Khin Pek.
 

While there had been some shortcomings early on, organising chairman and Padawan councillor Wilfred Yap said, all was well that ended well.

“We are confident the success of the Padawan Challenge will be a boost to 4X4 activities in Sarawak, and we can look forward to more support from the state government and tourism authorities,” he told the cheering crowd.

With the area’s majestic limestone hills as a backdrop, the challenge venue at the Bengoh Resettlement Scheme, some 35km south-west of Kuching, was an immediate hit with the competitors and supporters, as well as the estimated 12,000 visitors to Padawan over the two days.

Before the event, few people had been to this new village, which was built to accommodate the residents of several nearby areas who had to be relocated because the building of the Bengoh dam flooded their homes.

Now, there is new hope that Padawan will establish Sarawak firmly on the region’s 4X4 map.

Memories of Lanun Darats past ...

I feel sad. Not because of anything bad, but because of so many good memories, so it is a good kind of sad. 
Nearly 17 years have elapsed since I first became a part of the Ford 4X4 Adventure Team, more popularly known as "Lanun Darat" (that would be "Land Pirates" when translated from Bahasa Malaysia into English).
Along the way, I have made many friends, many of whom are still my closest buddies to this day. I have learned much about 4X4s, how to operate them, how to look after them, and how to enjoy them. 
Over those years, I have been on more than 30 expeditions with the Lanun Darat family, including several offshoots in Cambodia, and I have been privileged to have led the latest one in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on 7-8 February, 2015.
It was a resounding success (even if I do say so myself), judging by the participants' happy faces after a day of light offroading in scenic Kiulu and Tamparuli before gathering on beautiful Dalit beach for a gorgeous sunset BBQ dinner and a great night's rest at the luxurious Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort. 
And followed by more 4X4 action the next day at the sight of the Borneo Safari 2014 Prologue Special Stages in nearby Sepangar.
But, amidst all the happy moments, a tinge of sadness because this was to be the last Lanun Darat. Ever. No more.
Representatives from Ford's Malaysian distributor, Sime Darby Auto Connexion, made the announcement just before the flag-off. There would be other events for customers in future, they said, such as Ford's Driving Skills For Life, but no more Lanun Darat. 
Times have changed, and certainly much has changed in the automotive industry in the years since 1999. 
The future will come soon enough, and it is not my intention to do any crystal ball gazing. Instead, I want to look back at the wonderful times I had over the years, and share some of the hundreds of photos documenting those happy Lanun Darat moments.

To The Rescue

It's January, 2015, and it is wet out there. Really, really wet. Cats and dogs don't do it justice, throw in the goldfish, too. It's been raining non-stop for more than 24 hours, and on and off for several days before that.

Still, the flooding and misery is nothing like on the scale that our Peninsular compatriots have had to endure in recent weeks.

The river levels are rising, there is standing water on roads everywhere, and many areas have reported flooding.

The local 4X4 community have been on alert for a while in case our services are needed, and the call went out today. 

Kampung Simpok, a predominantly Bidayuh village in the Padawan area, between the Kuching-Serian Road and the road to Borneo Heights, was being inundated and some residents needed help with evacuation.

Three cars from Sakta (the Sarawak Travel and Adventure Association) answered the call. Cikgu Bhil, Meek Mapes and myself did what we could to ferry residents from low-lying areas to the evacuation centre at Kg Simpok's community hall.

There were several other vehicles and volunteers from the Sarawak Amateyr Radio Emergency Service (SARES) and Civil Defence (Jabatan Pertahanan Awam, JPAM) on hand to assist the villagers.

In places, the water was too deep even for 4X4s so the two boats JPAM brought along had to be pressed into service.

Prepare now for the next big one

Serious flooding is not a new phenomenon in Malaysia. In fact, it is an annual event, occurring at more or less the same time of the year, varying only in the location, the degree of severity and extent of damage.
Hopefully, the worst is over as I write this, and the recovery and clean-up efforts can proceed.
Putting aside why our country does not seem prepared for this disaster despite its regular nature, what can we learn to better prepare for the future?
Many things are needed when the waters rise, and among the first is information. Detailed and accurate information. Which areas, which roads, which stretches of which roads are low-lying? How low, relative to some standard point?
The marks left by the receding waters show clearly just how high the floodwaters were in many places. Now is the time to gather data and prepare detailed elevation maps.

When the next floods hit (and they will, as surely as December follows November), the authorities should be able to tell quickly which towns and villages and roads are threatened.
If the water reaches 1 metre in a particular spot in Kuantan, for example, they should know approximately how high the floodwaters are at various areas in the state of Pahang, which areas are inundated, which roads are passable to which categories of vehicles.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a colour-coded map, update hourly, showing clearly which roads and kampungs are green, or yellow, or red zones?

This blog is primarily about my passion for 4X4 vehicles and activities so it should come as no surprise that they come into the picture.
It has become clear, thanks to numerous photos and videos posted on social video, that 4X4 vehicles have been crucial in delivering much-needed aid to areas that are otherwise inaccessible.

There has been no shortage of goodwill and good deeds from all segments of Malaysian society in responding to calls for help. Donations in cash and kind have poured in, an there is no shortage either of lorries and even containers to transport them to distribution centres in affected areas.
But hundreds, maybe even thousands, of lighter vehicles are still needed to get the goods to where are needed most.

This is where the privately owned 4X4 vehicles have stepped forward. From seasoned 4WD enthusiasts and veterans to newbies who just purchased a double cabin pick-up recently, they all responded magnificently, organising themselves through Whatsapp and Facebook.
They raised money, collected donated goods, loaded up their trucks and headed off. Many who had little or no experience in offroad driving placed their faith in their travelling companions, some of whom were complete strangers until recently, to help show them the ropes.

Bravo to you all. Even if the floods this time were so bad at their peak that even 4X4s could not get through, the water was bound to subside within a couple of days to a level that the relief missions could proceed.
For the future, the authorities should encourage the formation of 4X4 clubs and activities, and also close ties between them and the agencies that are likely to be in the frontlines when battling future disasters, agencies like Bomba, JPAM (Civil Defence), RELA, JPJ and the Police.
When the alarm is raised the next time, someone in charge should know that they can call on the Mitsubishi Triton Club, the Toyota Hilux Club, the Ford Ranger Club, the Land Rover Club, etc, and which areas to assign them to.
There are many of these groups out there, most of which are formed casually for members to discuss subjects common to their favourite marques, their next "teh tarik" or TT gathering or offroad trip.
With some initiative from the authorities, it should not be too difficult to link up with them.
When there are no disasters, that would be the best time to plan and prepare, to organise training sessions to help them become more familiar with the capabilities and limitations of their vehicles and themselves. As the old wisdom goes, one should not wait until the tummy aches to start building a toilet.

It is heartening to note that several government departments have gone to the ground or "turun padang" to assist even though disaster relief is not their function. Departments like Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) have earned praise on their Facebook page for using their 4X4 vehicles to help distribute food and other aid goods in areas that lesser cars cannot get to. Let me add my praise and compliments here. Syabas, JPJ!

That said, let's build on it. The authorities should recognise that, in our hour of need, there are many privately owned vehicles out there that are much better prepared and equipped for the arduous task than their own, which are largely as stock standard as the day they were delivered.
Enthusiasts who spend their own time and money to pursue offroading as a hobby also end up having more capable vehicles - better tyres, winches, snorkels, etc, when the need arises. Many also have more experience in driving through water, thanks to their leisure adventures.
Ironically, many of these improvements may be illegal in the eyes of the JPJ, perhaps because the rules have not been updated to reflect changing technology.

For example, JPJ's guidelines on tyres says "Pemasangan tayar yang lebih besar sehingga mengubah ketinggian keseluruhan kenderaan adalah tidak dibenarkan." (Fitting of bigger tyres that change the overall vehicle height is not permitted).
This could and should be amended to spell out a specific amount of extra height that is permitted, "up to 50mm", for example.
Bearing in mind the usefulness of 4X4 vehicles in helping victims of disasters, the JPJ could hold talks with the 4X4 community to discuss what constitutes permissible, safe and useful upgrades to 4X4s instead of just banning any and everything.
Perhaps, to prevent abuse, there could be some kind of "technical permission for specific modifications" in writing granted to specific vehicles that have signed up as volunteers for future disasters, either as a club member or at an individual level.
The good news is, Malaysia potentially has a huge fleet of tens of thousands of 4X4 vehicles, available and ready for action at a moment's notice, all paid for and maintained by private individuals at zero cost to the Government.
Even if not all are willing or able to come out and help, tapping into just a percentage of this pool of volunteer auxiliaries will be a big burden taken off the authorities.
All that needs to be done now, before disaster strikes again, is to put in place some kind of plan to coordinate these privateers when the need arises.
I hope the lessons of the past week are not quickly forgotten. When the rains start again, there won't be much time to get things done.