By: Roni Wang

Chairman of the Cycling in the Heart of Borneo II Committee

Bringing green lifestyle closer through Cycling in the Heart of Borneo II is an active campaign in the community.

"In addition to campaigning for an energy-efficient living culture, it also promotes tourism assets, especially those in West Kalimantan," said the Head of the West Kalimantan Regional Tourism Office, Natalia Karyawati.

The activity is also a collaborative event for sports and tourism, by promoting the development of tourism destinations because it is combined with the organization of the Festival of Lake Sentarum which is also an annual agenda of the West Kalimantan Provincial Disporapar.

Head of the Betung Kerihun and Lake Sentarum National Park, Arief Mahmud, added that this activity has been included in the good event activities of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

"Some good event criteria such as minimizing the use of paper during registration (paperless), energy saving, environmentally friendly, waste reduction, movement using tumblers (drinking water bottles), and not using tissue (no tissue event)," he said.

Cycling in the Heart of Borneo II is the first activity that tries to adopt the criteria of good event launched by KLHK. It is hoped that in the future it will trigger similar movements in Indonesia.

This activity was held by the West Borneo Tourism Association in collaboration with the West Kalimantan Provincial Youth, Sports and Tourism Office, the Ministry of Tourism in the Wonderful Indonesia program and became a grand national event that will close several series of national tourism programs at the end of 2018.

The event is also supported by the Kapuas Hulu District Government, the Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum National Park Center, Yayasan Kehati (TFCA Kalimantan), Bike to Work West Kalimantan, Yokkita Tour, Garuda Indonesia, Gapura Angkasa, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, WWF-Indonesia in the success of Visit Heart of Borneo (HoB) which has been declared at the HoB Trilateral Meeting in 2017 in Tanjung Selor, North Kalimantan.

While support from Malaysia includes the Malaysian Consulate in Pontianak, Giant Bike Kuching, Sarawak Cycling Association, Persatuan Berbasikal Bahagian Sri Aman and Hotel Seri Simanggang, Sri Aman.

The series of Cycling in the Heart of Borneo II activities will pass along a route that starts from Sri Aman, Sarawak Malaysia, crosses the Badau Cross Border Post (PLBN) and ends in Lanjak, the capital of Batang Lupar District, Kapuas Hulu. Lanjak is one of the entrances to the Danau Sentarum National Park area.

Secretary of West Borneo Tourism Association, Roni Wang explained, about 100 participants from various parts of the archipelago such as from Jakarta, Bogor, Garut, Bandung, Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Blitar, Bondowoso, Jayapura, Medan, Berau, Pontianak, Bengkayang and host Putussibau have registered to take part in the activity.

"While from foreign countries from Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Sibu, Sri Aman, Bintulu, and Sabah totaling 32 participants. The activities of the 2018 Lake Sentarum Festival (FDS) for this year are more exclusive because they are included in the Ministry of Tourism's Calender of Events in the 100 Wonderful Events of Indonesia 2018," said Roni, who is also the Chairman of the Cycling in the Heart of Borneo II Committee.

Regarding the distance that will be traveled by all participants, Roni added that it will be twice as far as in 2017, reaching 141 km. Crossing two countries, namely Malaysia and Indonesia, participants will see the beautiful Heart of Borneo up close and be able to interact with local residents.

"This activity is an effort to support the Indonesian government program in campaigning to reduce global warming. Cycling while enjoying and appreciating nature in the Heart of Borneo region," he explained.

The West Kalimantan Provincial Youth, Sports and Tourism Office has also coordinated with the Chairperson of Sosek Malindo, PLBN Nanga Badau and the Indonesian Police. "Including coordination with Sarawak Police, JPJ Sarawak, Majlis Keselamatan Negara (Sarawak), Sarawak State Health, Sarawak State Tourism and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching," he added.