Welcome to the first world tour of a vehicle powered only by solar energy!
Alarm in the Jungle29.03.2008
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The Solar Taxi is back. Arriving in Singapore, Louis Palmer is confronted with a runaway terrorist, a police escort and a TV interview with an environment minister.
Singapore is a centre for researchers, financiers and the rich from all over the world. Here the most important question often seems to be where the newest shopping center should be built. But Singapore is now also asking itself how a terrorist leader was able to escape from prison? Mas Selamat bin Kastari went to the toilet and didn't come back.
ON THE JUNGLE HIGHWAY TO THE MINISTER
The terrorist's escape is an unbelievable disgrace for many inhabitants and public servants. Hundreds of police comb the forests of the island state, several police chiefs have been sacked and there's gridlock at the Malaysian border.
They leave no palm-leaf unturned. It's said that the man could live quite well in the jungle for years, so Singapore is prepared for a long search. I experience the huge size of the jungle at the city's centre on a mountain bike tour with Heinz Iten, head of the local Swiss Club. We don't meet any terrorists, or anybody else either.
Big business with solar energy
In Singapore we make ourselves at home in the Swiss Embassy. Here we also meet our new team member, Frank Loacker, who comes from near Zurich. He is an electric vehicle technician and will travel with us and film us over the next few weeks and the next few thousand kilometers across the Far East.
Singapore's press is very enthusiastic about the Solar Taxi. The city-state wants to become a solar energy centre. Many companies are building here, hoping to do big business. This could soon change the face of Singapore, but it might also change for other reasons. On our mountain bike tour Heinz Iten stops suddenly next to a big tree. "Over the past two years it has rained much more than usual", he says. "Last year the ground was so soft that big trees were falling over. Five people were killed."
To lunch with the Minister with police escort
We set out early the next morning to meet the Minister of Science and the Environment the state of Malacca in Malaysia. First of all though, we get slightly lost in Singapore, spend longer than planned getting through customs, and then take a few wrong turns in Malaysia. When we finally reach the first-class highway, police are waiting for us. "Follow us, we'll bring you quickly to the Minister". We arrive punctually for lunch with blue lights flashing and sirens wailing. The Minister is waiting for us with not just 300 people, but a parade of drummers and a speech as well. Frank is astounded.
The Minister and I talk together on Malaysian television, saying that solar energy is the energy of the future that will help stop global warming. We are impressed by people's committment. It will be interesting to see what the "tiger economies" have in store for the future.