Malaysian Spirit of Independence rolls into UAE
12-vehicle convoy will travel through 14 countries
BY NINA MUSLIM
Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Dubai
A 12-vehicle convoy made up of 49 Malaysians, including four women, made its way into the UAE yesterday, the ninth country on its journey back home to celebrate their country's 50 years of independence.
The Southeast Asian nation celebrates its independence from British colonial rule on August 31.
The "Spirit of Independence" convoy, led by Malaysian deputy defence minister Zainal Abidin Zain, started its 14-country journey in Capetown, South Africa on July 29.
Khairul Anwar Mohammad Noor, a journalist travelling with the group, told Gulf News that the journey was to show Malaysia's intrepid spirit and highlight their global presence.
"We started in South Africa because our people went there 300 years ago. It?s a symbolic gesture to show that we share roots with people as far away as Capetown," he said, adding that the group met with Malaysian communities in many of the countries they passed through.
The first Cape Malay community members comprised of slaves from what is now Indonesia, but were later joined by political dissidents and religious leaders from Indonesia and what is now Malaysia. From Capetown, the group passed through various trouble spots in Africa, including Zimbabwe and Sudan, before driving into the UAE. Noor described the security as largely tight on the drive up through Africa and into the Middle East.
"We didn't really feel threatened because each country provided us with an armed escort.
The Southeast Asian nation celebrates its independence from British colonial rule on August 31.
The "Spirit of Independence" convoy, led by Malaysian deputy defence minister Zainal Abidin Zain, started its 14-country journey in Capetown, South Africa on July 29.
Khairul Anwar Mohammad Noor, a journalist travelling with the group, told Gulf News that the journey was to show Malaysia's intrepid spirit and highlight their global presence.
"We started in South Africa because our people went there 300 years ago. It?s a symbolic gesture to show that we share roots with people as far away as Capetown," he said, adding that the group met with Malaysian communities in many of the countries they passed through.
The first Cape Malay community members comprised of slaves from what is now Indonesia, but were later joined by political dissidents and religious leaders from Indonesia and what is now Malaysia. From Capetown, the group passed through various trouble spots in Africa, including Zimbabwe and Sudan, before driving into the UAE. Noor described the security as largely tight on the drive up through Africa and into the Middle East.
"We didn't really feel threatened because each country provided us with an armed escort.
"Sudan gave us the biggest security detail, probably in the thousands. Just imagine, every 50 kilometres of road, they had three soldiers posted to prevent anyone from ambushing us," Noor said.
Now in the UAE, their next stop is Oman, where they are scheduled to board a Malaysian navy warship to Pakistan, before driving through India, Myanmar and Thailand into Malaysia.
The planned 32-day journey, traversing more than 21,000 kilometres and 14 countries, is expected to end on August 30, one day before they participate in Malaysia's Independence Day national parade.
Fadli Adilah, first secretary at the Malaysian Embassy in the UAE, told Gulf News that Abu Dhabi police greeted the group at the border between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where travellers had earlier stopped to perform Umrah.
"Visiting the Arab Gulf countries] is also a way for them to reconnect with Malaysia's Arabic heritage,"he added.
There are an estimated 3,400 Malaysians in the UAE.