Angkatan Hebat Sdn Bhd (AHSB) has agreed to provide three Toyota Fortuner vehicles from its fleet to be used for the Touring Class category of the up-and-coming Trans Borneo Land Below the Wind expedition, which will be taking place from seven days from the 12th to the 19th of December 2021.
The sponsored Toyota Fortuners are the manual 2008 model but are in good condition, as maintained by AHSB. In addition to that, AHSB will also be providing (limited) lubricants for the participants and also cash sponsorship for the TBLBW event.
AHSB CEO, Tuan Faez Ainstein Nordin, says that AHSB as a government-linked corporation (GLC) wishes to do their part to help promote and revive tourism in Sabah. Therefore, they are providing vehicles at a very special rate in particular for interested participants so they may save some cost while enjoying the tour.
“We hope that all Malaysians, especially those from West Malaysia who have never visited Sabah will have the chance to see our beautiful state,” Faez added.
Anuar Ghani, Event Director for TBLBW said he is overjoyed by the support that the event has received from Yayasan Sabah, Sabah Parks and the Forestry Department in allowing access to some of the places that are not accessible to the public.
“This year’s event is special and meaningful because of the collaboration and cooperation of the various establishments and entities to jointly work and contribute to reviving tourism. There is a common purpose and unity and the desire to show the best of Sabah,” Anuar added.
TBLBW is a hybrid 4×4 road adventure that covers several districts in Sabah for the duration of seven days. This year, the event is set to take place from the 12th to the 19th of December. The expedition will be divided into two types of tour class options, namely the Touring Class (travelling mainly on the main road or gravelled roads; suitable for normal 4×4 vehicles, as well as the Hardcore Class (will be travelling on hardcore routes; requires modified 4×4 vehicles). This event is open to 100 participants (limited to 50 vehicles) and registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.
This event is endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia (MOTAC), the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Environment Sabah (MTCE), the Sabah Tourism Board, and the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA). Sponsors for this event include CST Tyres, Angkatan Hebat Sdn Bhd and the Sabah Energy Corporation. Other sponsors include Superwood Industries Sdn Bhd, Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM), Qhazanah Sabah and NORSECAM. Other parties who wish to become sponsors are also welcome to do so.
TBLBW is expected to receive wide coverage from both local and national media, as well as renowned social media influencers and public figures. TBLBW is the sole promotional tourism revival event in Sabah for 2021 and it seeks to help jumpstart Sabah back to her nature tourism heyday, before the pandemic forced it to a screeching halt, affecting the livelihood of many who work in the once-thriving hospitality industry.
This year’s chapter of the expedition will be covering both familiar and new areas that were seldom explored before. Participation fees for the TBLBW expedition are RM2500 for jump-seaters, RM2100 for public entries, as well as RM1750 for students and trainees (young Trans Borneo Explorers in the tourism, automotive and multimedia fields).
The registration form can be downloaded from www.transborneo.net and sent to northborneoexplorer@gmail.com. The deadline for registration is on the 30th of November 2021. Interested parties are advised to hurry as slots for both tour classes are selling fast.
