KOTA KINABALU:
Over 130 participants of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) Rally displayed their Harley Davidson bikes at Dataran Deasoka, Gaya Street here on Sunday morning. The riders are from Australia, Brunei, France, Indonesia, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, US and all over Malaysia. During the three-day rally, they visited Kuala Penyu and other signature destinations in the east coast of Sabah, including the Murut Cultural Village in Tenom the Kundasang War Memorial, the Kinabalu Park and the hometown of the Cowboys of the East, Kota Belud. In between enjoying the sights of Sabah’s landscapes on their ride, the Harley riders also witnessed several cultural performances by the local community of each location. A couple from Singapore, Awi, 69, and Salamah, 66, said this was their first visit to Sabah. “The experience of stopping at the villages during the rally made us remember of our own villages,” they said. A visitor from Sandakan, Sulaiman Jaafar, 36 said the exhibition was a good exposure of big bikes to the public. After the exhibition, the bikers rode to the Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa for the HOG Rally Charity Carnival. Over 30 children from a local orphanage were there to share in the fun during the carnival and had lunch with the participants. Meanwhile, HOG Malaysia Director Choo Kai Mun said they had set a new participation record in the Malaysia Book of Records. “In 2006, we managed to gather 117 big bike owners for the rally to Langkawi in Kedah. “For this rally, the number of participants was more than 130,” he said. This was the fifth rally organised by HOG and the first time it was held in Sabah. “The rally has been held since 1998 and it has covered Pulau Pinang, Terengganu and Langkawi with participation from all over the world,” said Choo. He thanked Sabah Tourism Board Chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin for promoting Sabah as a destination for the rally. ”Beside taking part in the rally, we also promoted road safety and carried out charity activities,” he added.
