Story by Thomas Foo, who was the 4×4 Adventure Club of Kuala Lumpur (ACKL) secretary in 1992 and vice-president from 1993 – 1996, and again in 2003-2004
Photos by Leo Loh, the 1992 New Straits Times Trans-Pen Champion, who has the biggest collection of 4×4 photos, videos, 4×4 trophies, tyres, recovery gears, the first guy in Malaysia to use Super Swampers
THE INFECTION
Along the way, Yamin had also roped in Taib Khamis from Land Rover Malaysia, Andrew Ee, a king scout master and Duke Low, a civil engineer, and a few other friends to submit to the Registrar of Societies the club’s constitution and the Pro-Tem Committee of the 4×4 Adventure Club, Kuala Lumpur.
BIG DREAMS AND TRANS-BORNEO DAYS
In 1990, the highlight of the year was the Taman Negara trip from Padang Piol to Kuala Tahan. Danny Kow had arranged for the welcome ceremony at 3 pm and the early 4×4 adventurers actually arrived the next morning at 5 am. By then, the VIP had gone home, the Pahang Government welcome committee were all fast asleep after waiting until midnight, and the curry chicken had turned to frozen oil. The delay was caused by unending mud slides, Sg Tekai became Lautan Tekai, and every hill climb was a disaster. The convoy spread out over 10 kilometers, the radio contact broke down. This Taman Negara 1990 event was a milestone in the ACKL calendar. It fired the dreams, imagination and vision for the 4×4 Adventure Club to become a world leader in 4×4 competition events.
TRANS-PENINSULA DAYS
At that time, you needed a police permit to go off-roading along the route. At every 10kms, there were Army checkpoints, and when you got to Gua Musang, you had to report to the police. If anybody did the crossing in two days, he would be called Off-Roader of the Year.
Due to the overwhelming response to Trans-Peninsula ’91, Selection Trials were introduced. Members had to be interviewed and vehicles pre-scrutineered to qualify for the event. It was also the beginning of big corporate companies taking an interest in the club’s events, with Caltex, Petronas, Silverstone, GP Batteries, Warn Winch, Old Man Emu, ARB, Ultimate Suspension, PIAA, Finer Filters, New Straits Times, 4×4 Magazine Japan pouring big money into the Club’s series of hardcore competitions and selections. At the same time, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, State Governments, Prime Minister’s Department, Government Agencies, the Army, Police, JPJ also sponsored and supported the events.
In 1993, the Club signed on Ric William, the publisher of Australia’s Bush Driver magazine to be its international promoter for three years. Ric’s biggest contribution to the club was the publication of the Trans-Pen Malaysia Rules & Regulations, which is still used as a reference for almost all competitive events to this day.
THE EXPANSION YEARS
Sallehuddin Rahman introduced the monthly “Member’s Nite“ to promote interaction between members and sponsors. Ghazali Abdullah published a book on four-wheel driving and started the Club’s Off-Road School, which attracted scores of new members. The concept of Environment Preservation & Conservation was entrenched into the Club’s Code of Ethics on 4-wheel driving.
At the same time, Leo Loh, a professional photographer then, started a data bank for ACKL’s photography and video materials.
Roslan Wahid, the president of the club had formed the Elite Recce Team to chart Peninsula Malaysia for tracks and routes, which to this day off-roaders still find challenging. Roslan left a big legacy in enhancing the Club’s
In 1993, the Club organised the first Malaysian Overland Expedition. It was the KL – Vientiane Goodwill Friendship Expedition. The 6000km expedition to Laos was to be the Mother of Overland Expeditions. Other overland expeditions were the Kembara 7000 ‘95 to Kunming, China, followed by the Silverstone Inner Mongolia Expedition ‘96.
Mah Weng Kwai was Club president in ’96. With his legal background, he drew up a proper legal framework for the club. He also promoted the concept of Family Off-Roading to appeal to a wider audience of new 4×4 adventurers.
NEW BLOOD
Luis revamped the 4×4 Adventurer Newsletter and made it into a 36-page mini magazine, with fresh designs and circulated up to 2,000 copies worldwide.
The following year, the main annual club event of the year was privatised by Motorsports Adventure with the name changed to the present day Rainforest Challenge series. The Club nurtured the event with its pool of hardcore off-roaders and helped manage the operations and logistics.
THE QUIET YEARS
Ahmad Yusof took over the presidency in 1999. Before he could implement the programme of securing a piece of land for the club, ACKL faced the biggest acid test in its club history. The Registrar of Societies de-registered the Club in 2000 due to non-submission of certain annual return documents over previous years.
With the Club de-registered, no programmes, events, AGMs could be held. Steven Chan, the secretary and Ahmad Mayo worked tirelessly for three years, having numerous meetings with the Registrar to re-instate the ACKL. Past reports, accounts, documents dating back to 1996 were re-submitted and verified for auditing by the Registrar of Societies.
Finally in late 2002, the Club was re-instated. An AGM was held in November 2002 which led to the Annual General Meeting in April 2003 for the election of the 2003/4 committee.
Haji Mohd Isa was named as President, Thomas Foo as Vice-President, Steven Chan as secretary and Yeoh Lam Kong as treasurer, together with seven committee members.
MOVING FORWARD
The next ACKL committee, led by its president Chong Kon Fong, took over after the club’s AGM in 2007. He has revived the club and the 4x4ACKL became once again one of t
At the 2009 4x4ACKL annual general meeting twenty members voted for current president Leong Bun Kong. He is a veteran 4x4ACKL member and he campaigned for more off-roading activities. He looks forward to bringing the club back to its roots, promoting offroading and the enjoyment of nature with club members, friends and family.