KUCHING: Along with 10 other media practitioners from various companies in Kuching, two reporters from the New Sarawak Tribune and its sister paper Suara Sarawak reached the summit of the 4,095-metre-high Mount Kinabalu at sunrise recently.
These pressmen comprising Muhammad Asyraf Abdul Halim, Ma Chee Seng, Ronnie Teo Teck Wei, Hafizah Abdul Hamid, Voon Siang Pin, Chin Kah Joo, Mohamad Faitulah Morni, Koh Jia Lim, Chong Kho Lee and Chai Chui Chiek took approximately four hours to reach the top.
In total, 15 media practitioners from Kuching including journalists, editors, photographers and videographers participated in the trip.
However, five others were unable to climb up due to exhaustion and fatigue as they were worried that the energy descending from Mount Kinabalu back to Timpohon gate would be insufficient.
The media climbing trip to Mount Kinabalu was hosted by the Journalists Association of Kuching Division (KDJA).
It is KDJA’s second expedition up the mountain after the first one was held in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, the expedition was supported by the Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs and UKAS) Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (Youth and Sport Development) Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia (MOTAC).
Organising chairperson, Zulazhar Sheblee conveyed appreciation to sponsors such as SOCOE Sdn Bhd who contributed RM5,000 and Magnum East Malaysia that contributed RM3,000.
“Also, thank you Suhrah Global Sdn Bhd for sponsoring the hot chocolate drinks,” he said.
It is also noted that the Sarawak government had donated a total of RM40,000 to KDJA back in 2020 for the second instalment of this expedition, but the programme was postponed due to the pandemic.
