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Cycling trek on Mt Singai to grab teen bikers — Nansian

Posted on 01 Apr 2014
Source of News: The Borneo Post Online

Posted on March 31, 2014, Monday

BAU: A mountain cycling trek will be built on Mount Singai to promote this healthy alternative notably among the locals, said Association of Research and Development Movement of Singai (Redeems) president Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie.

He told reporters here yesterday that cycling will be promoted as a healthier choice of hobby among the Singai youths to curb unhealthy activities involving motorcycles.

“I want to promote it because I want to get under-aged youths off the road riding motorcycles. Many young people below age 17 use motorcycles on the road and in the first place, that is going against the law since they do not have a licence.

“But we cannot blame anybody (for this), so why not we replace it with something else like bicycles? Firstly, it is cheap, then they can exercise which keeps them healthy, and thirdly, at night when they are tired they go to sleep, rather than taking the motorcycle out and loiter and get into accidents,” he said.

Nansian, who is also Assistant Minister for Community Services, mentioned these matter-of-factly when met after the inaugural Redeems Run and Bicycle Race at the Redeems Centre in Jalan Apar-Singai near here yesterday.

Sponsored and co-organised by Sarawak Energy Berhad, a total of 594 people participated in events such as Open category (above 18 years old) 21 km, Women (above 18 years) 8 km and Junior category (13-18 years) 8 km for the Run; and for the Bicycle Race, Open category (above 18 years) 45 km, Women (above 18 years) 20 km and Junior Category (13-18 years) 20 km.

It is also held in conjunction with the Redeems Youth and Sports Carnival, held during the final weekend of every March, which comprised sepak takraw, futsal and netball competitions.

Having noted that most of the winners in the Bicycle Race were from Kuching, Nansian said he mulled a separate category open only to locals from Bau to encourage more of them to participate. A Redeems Cycling Club will also be set up to achieve this purpose, he added.

He also indicated the run may include a full marathon (42km) if there is demand for it. Both the run and bicycle race yesterday saw participants going through routes starting from Redeems Centre to Jalan Singai and back again to Redeems Centre.

When asked to elaborate more on the Mount Singai mountain cycling trek, he said the planning and development for the route is currently being done concurrently with the seedbank study carried out by Redeems with the Agriculture Department.

“As you probably have read in previous reports, we are now carrying a seedbank study for Mount Singai, one of which is to work with Agriculture Department to replant and maintain the famous Singai durians.

“Part of the study will also include identifying where we want to do the mountain bike trek because we have to execute matters professionally with proper planning,” he said.

He also envisioned the trek to be a hit among cycling enthusiasts both from in and outside Singai, while affordable fees will be charged for the maintenance of the trek.



Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/03/31/cycling-trek-on-mt-singai-to-grab-teen-bikers-nansian/#ixzz2xb5yGK94