Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officials stand by as a participant in the Malaysian 50th Independence Day Car Rally waves as the vehicles enter India on August 20. Pic: AFP/Narinder Nanu

A CAR rally organised by Malaysia’s Ministry of Defence to commemorate that country’s 50th Independence Day will pass through Myanmar this week on its way to Kuala Lumpur.

The rally – which started in Cape Town, South Africa, on July 28 – consists of 22 four-wheel-drive vehicles and 52 Malaysian participants, said the defence advisor at the Malaysian embassy in Yangon, Colonel Sanusi Hashin.

The rally was scheduled to enter Myanmar from India on August 26 via Tamu in Sagaing Division. The agenda called for the drivers to spend three days traversing the country, overnighting in Monywa, Taungoo and Hpa-an before exiting into Thailand on August 29 through the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border checkpoint.

Organisers said they expected the rally to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on August 30, just in time to participate in the 50th Malaysian Independence Day on August 31.

Col Sanusi Hashin said Myanmar was the 11th of 13 countries the drivers would pass through during the rally.