PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched 26 four-wheel-drive (4×4) vehicles on Tuesday (Nov 7) to mark the beginning of the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) Grand Final.
Anwar arrived at the flag-off point at Dataran Putra here at 5.20pm and was welcomed by Unity Ministry secretary-general Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry senior division secretary (management) Datuk Shaharudin Abu Sohoy, and founder and director of RFC and Rainforest Global Series Luis Wee.
Approximately 26 years ago, on Nov 23, 1997, Anwar, who at the time served as the deputy prime minister, presided over the first RFC at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Wee, throughout its 26 editions, the RFC has successfully raised Malaysia’s profile and achieved the goal of promoting it as a sports tourism destination, particularly for international off-road motorsport championships.
He added that the RFC has put Malaysia on the world map, ranking it third among the top 10 most challenging motorsport events globally, alongside events such as the Dakar Rally, Baja Race, Le Mans 24-hour Race, and Isle of Man Race.
Wee mentioned that this year’s RFC Grand Final will take place in Perak from Dec 1 to 11, with participants traversing forest routes and inland areas in Sungai Siput, Kuala Kangsar, Lenggong, and Gerik before returning to Ipoh.
He also stated that Perak was chosen due to its diverse tourist attractions, scenic flora and fauna, and suitability for outdoor activities like off-road motorsport.
The RFC Grand Final will witness the participation of approximately 300 local and foreign individuals, including participants from Russia, Mongolia, China, South Korea, the United States, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Italy, the Philippines, and Indonesia. – Bernama
