30 mei 2011 04:13

Expedition to Trace Malay Heritage Heads to Cambodia

Chumphon, Thailand - A Malaysian expedition to trace Malay heritage in Southeast Asia and China over 25 days is heading to Cambodia Sunday from Thailand.

The Jejak Warisan Jawi II (JWJII) expedition, on four-wheel-drive vehicles, will travel about 800km from this city to Aranyaprathet-Poipet on the border between Thailand and Cambodia.

"It will take 14 hours (to arrive at the border). We will be driving along highways and also off-road in Thailand," said expedition director Zaid Muhammad Mohd Rais.

He told Bernama the participants had been advised to pack some food as the journey might be trickier than the routes of the past two days.

"This will not only tire the participants but also wear out the vehicles. Although we stop every six hours for food and fuel, we have to be prepared to face the possibility of having to cook on the journey as well," he said.

The journey from Trang to Chumphon on Saturday involved almost 800km. The expedition had travelled via Krabi and Ranong en route to Chumphon.

Along the journey, the expedition visited a Malay village in Takuapa near Krabi.

"In Takuapa, there is a mosque, the Nurul Huda Mosque, which is 150 years old. Although it has undergone renovation, it shows the existence of Malays.

"The presence of a religious school next to the mosque revealed the local residents' eagerness to educate the young, although informally," he said.

The expedition donated some food and cash to the school which has an enrolment of 100 students, both male and female, aged between seven and 12. It has four teachers.

The expedition, organised by Majma' Budaya and Warisan Jawi as well as the Putra 1Malaysia Club, is supported by the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture.

The expedition is also set to visit Vietnam, Laos, China and Myanmar on a journey that is expected to cover 10,000 kilometres.

Source: http://www.bernama.com
Photo: http://mynewshub.my

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