MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE: THAI CREW FIRST HOME IN ASIAN MOTOR RALLY

Record ID: 215551

  • Title: MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE: THAI CREW FIRST HOME IN ASIAN MOTOR RALLY
  • Date: 20th April 1969
  • Summary: BANGKOK; CARS ON ROAD; MALAYSIAN BORDER CHECKPOINT; ARRIVING AT SINGAPORE. Initials MJS/VS/MK/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th May 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE
  • City:
  • Country: Singapore Malaysia
  • Reuters ID: LVA413JO7IT3AXBRJAXM1XJXKK53
  • Story Text: AN AUSTRALIAN HOLDER CAR DRIVEN BY A THAI CREW WAS FIRST TO FINISH WHEN THE ASIAN HIGHWAY RALLY ENDED IN SINGAPORE ON FRIDAY (18 APRIL).

    THE CAR, NUMBER 16, WAS THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE CHECK-POINT IN KUALA LUMPUR, AND MAINTAINED ITS LEAD THROUGH THE CHECK-POINT AT THE CAUSEWAY LINKING MALAYSIA WITH SINGAPORE TO THE FINISH AT EMPRESS PLACE, SINGAPORE.

    AT KUALA LUMPUR THE HOLDEN'S CREW -- LAUREN MENDENHALL AND CO-DRIVERS GLADYS LOURVANIJ AND MR A. JOHNSTON -- WERE WELCOMED BY THE MALAYSIAN MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, MR INGHE SARDON JUBIR.

    SECOND CAR HOME -- NUMBER ONE -- A JAPANESE MAZDA -- HAD A CREW WITH A DIFFERENCE. THEY WERE ON HONEYMOON. GERMAN DRIVER HANS SCHNEIDER HAD MARRIED HIS THAI CO-DRIVER UNU IN BANGKOK, WHERE THEY BOTH LIVE, AND THE COUPLE WENT THROUGH THE RALLY WITH THEIR CAR PLASTERED WITH 'JUST MARRIED' SIGNS.

    SWEDEN'S ERIC DOHLON IN A FIAT FINISHED THIRD.

    THE IDEA FOR THE RALLY CAME FROM THE AUSTRALIAN DELEGATE TO THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE FAR EAST. THE COMMISSION WAS HOLDING ITS ANNUAL SESSION IN SINGAPORE WHEN THE RALLY ENDED. IT'S HOPED THE FOUR-DAY, 1875 MILE (3,000 KMS) RALLY WILL HELP TO PUBLICISE THE ASIAN HIGHWAY AS A TRADE ROUTE THROUGH SOUTH-EAST ASIA.

    PROVISIONAL OVERALL WINNER OF THE RALLY ANNOUNCED EARLY ON SUNDAY, IS MALAYSIA'S TUNKU MUDZAFFER. HIS CAR, A VOLVO, WAS NOT IN THE FIRST THREE HOME, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROTESTS FROM THE COMPETITORS OVER THE JUDGING OF THE RALLY.

    BUT THESE SEEMED FORGOTTEN WHEN THE 138 VEHICLES WHICH COMPLETED THE COURSE -- INCLUDING A BUS AND TWO TRUCKS -- STAGED A GRAND PARADE PAST SINGAPORE'S CITY HALL TODAY (SUNDAY). FINAL RESULTS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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