JULY 2003
USF-HICOM JOINS PETRONAS AFRICA TREK
16 July 03 - "Better late than never" would be another title befitting this story. Eight USF-HICOM (Malaysia) members and one invited media representative left Kuala Lumpur last night to join the 15th day of the PETRONAS Africa Trek expedition.
The latecomers left KLIA for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest town on the Indian Ocean coast. According to Encik Amril Samsudin, USF-HICOM's senior operations manager, the company's hectic work schedule meant that they could only join the expedition now, and only for the next 20 days.
The team, led by USF-HICOM's Managing Director Datuk William Chong, comprises USF dealers and a media member. They are Kelvin Chong, Yong Chu Koon, Kent Yap, Rosli Kamili, Fadhil Ahmat, Ah Teck and Cars, Bikes and Trucks Editor Yamin Vong.
Of the seven Mitsubishi Storms in the convoy, USF-HICOM is sponsoring two Mitsubishi-Storms this year. "We will be checking the capabilities of the vehicles and their endurability," said Amril. While Datuk William will drive his own car, WKA 1678, Encik Rosli Kamili hopes to drive his car WJH 8055.
Rosli was a member of last year's PETRONAS Siberia expedition. "Africa is different from Siberia because the off-road conditions are more demanding and challenging," explained Rosli. "I couldn't go for the whole 49 days as it's quite taxing and I've just started a new business so I decided to follow Datuk for a shorter trip."
The USF-HICOM team will join the PAT convoy in Dar es Salaam and drive to Victoria Falls, Livingstone in Zambia where they will leave the convoy and return to Kuala Lumpur on 5th August.
Also at the airport was PAT's Zaini and Kacang who were arranging to send more food supplies to the PAT convoy.
