The Make A Difference Charity Century Ride, organised by Malakoff Corporation Berhad (Malakoff) and its partners recently, successfully raised RM 103,700 to benefit five charity homes here. The Ride, participated by 150 cyclists, covered 360km across Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor over two consecutive days.

The inaugural Ride, themed “Sports for Charity”, was co-sponsored by Algotech Sdn Bhd, Kluang Mall and Tropicana Golf & Country Resort. Participants of the race as well as the support crew also contributed directly to raise funds for the five charity homes namely, Miriam Home, Kelab Kiwanis Kluang Mandarin, PDK Sembrong, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Anak-anak Yatim Damo and Che Luan Khor Haemodialysis Centre. Speaking at the cheque presentation ceremony at the finale of the Ride, Malakoff’s Managing Director and CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, “The inaugural ‘Make A Difference Charity Century Ride’ is a real success given the active participation of close to 150 determined cyclists, who covered an impressive 360km across four states.”

“I am pleased to announce that this Ride has now been included as part of Malakoff’s flagship CSR platform - The Malakoff Community Partnerships. This event is a combination of sporting event and community relations, with an aim to foster unity and camaraderie, and at the same time contribute to deserving charity organisations,” he added. The first leg of the Ride from Tropicana Golf & Country Resort to A’Famosa, was a challenging 185km through undulating hills and winding pathways. Despite the gruelling Ride, the cyclists enjoyed the evening making new friends, enjoying local delicacies and gearing up mentally for the second half of the ride. On the following day, the final leg of 175km was a scenic feast across Melaka Tengah, Parit Sulong and Yong Peng, wrapping up finally at Kluang - the heartland of Johor.

Emphasising on the real objective of the Ride, Ahmad Jauhari said, “While we enjoyed each moment of the ride, I must admit, our true joy comes from being able to make a positive impact in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters from the charity organisations. This is the true essence of this Ride.” As the main organiser of the event, Malakoff also focussed on stringent safety measures during the entire course of the Ride. The Company collaborated extensively with the local police and municipal councils to ensure the safety and security of all the riders and support crew along the 360km stretch. Experienced marshals were also positioned along the entire route to ensure the safety of the participants.

At the closing ceremony, Jack Tan, Managing Director of Algotech Sdn Bhd, a native of Kluang who was also the leader of this Ride said, “While the Ride was nerve-wrecking, we thoroughly enjoyed each moment. As the organiser of the event, Malakoff has done a fantastic job to ensure a smooth ride and we are all very happy that there was not a single untoward event during these two days.”

“Above all, we feel good that through this Ride we were able to make a difference in the lives of residents from the charity homes,” added the sports aficionado, who took up cycling a couple of years ago to lead a healthier and active lifestyle.

Prior to the actual cycling spree, a comprehensive Cycling Clinic was also organised to coach participants on the importance of right nutrition, correct cycling techniques and adopting safety procedures, leading up to as well as all through the Ride.