The cyclists starting the JKKK Butterworth City Ride 2016.

MORE than 1,000 cyclists tested their stamina in the JKKK Butterworth City Ride 2016.

Once the event was flagged off by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at 7am at the Seberang Prai Municipal Council field in Bagan Luar, the riders cycled 25km through several areas in Butterworth including Chain Ferry, Bagan Lallang, Maklom, Telok Ayer Tawar and Bagan Ajam.

The event on Sunday was organised by Kampung Simpah Village Security Development Committee (JKKK) in collaboration with the council and the state.

“The purpose of the event is to encourage the community to participate in a healthy outdoor activity besides promoting interesting places in Butterworth.

“This is the second year we are organising it and the feedback has been very good this year,” Kampung Simpah JKKK secretary Thomas Loh said.

He said that last year, the event attracted 600 participants but the number grew to 1,200 this year.

Also present were Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Boon Poh, Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Thanasekaran, council secretary Rozali Mohamud and councilor Tan Chong Hee.

In a press conference later, Lim said the upgrading and extension project of Dewan Datuk Ahmad Badawi (formerly known as Dewan Bandaran) located beside the council field would be completed by 2018.

“The Penang Development Corporation will be handling the project but has yet to call for tender,” said Lim.

“The council will fork out RM1mil while the state will allocate RM4mil for the project.”

The building, which was built in 2000 at a cost of RM5.4mil, will have a Science Cafe once the upgrading project is complete.