TWO SCOUTS REACH SUMMIT OF MOUNT KINABALU 2018 (MOP)
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TWO SCOUTS REACH SUMMIT OF MOUNT KINABALU 2018 (MOP)

At the Summit of Mount Kinabalu

On September 11, two Scouts from Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia (PPM) Daerah Balik Pulau, Penang, battling wind and altitude sickness, reached the summit of Mount Kinabalu to fly the flags of Scouting from the top of the asian highest mountain (4095 meter). The mountainers were Mr Saiidi Ismail (ADC Balik Pulau) with his partner, Mr. Prakash Marefeen (Scout Leader SK Telok Bahang), 38-year-old was the first of the Scouts Leaders from Penang to make it to the summit this climbing season, reaching the top on September 11, 2018 at 6.00am.

Mount Kinabalu's sheer granite face becomes near vertical as we gain altitude.  We pull ourself up with great effort using ropes tethered to the rock, thankful for the darkness concealing the long drop into oblivion. It is cold and dark and I am exhausted. It feels as though we will never reach the summit and every step is excruciating.  My legs ache and my heart races.  I look down and see a long line of lights winding below and I am thankful that at least I am farther along than they are.

After verifying that yes we are at the summit, we jostle for a position on the small peak, careful not to take a wrong step and fall into the deep canyon.  We perch ourselves on the edge of a rock facing east, and I am overcome with emotion until I realize that I have to wait for another hour until sunrise. Huddling together, we wrap anything that we can find around our legs and shoulders to protect us from the freezing air but, nothing helps and we shiver in the cold.

Finally, the sun breaks out from below the horizon, lighting up the sky and warming our chilled bones revealing a magnificent view. Surrounded by the vast mountains of Borneo I look into the plunging valley, and I am amazed that we made it. Alhamdullilah, we reach summit of Mount Kinabalu.

credit to : PPM Daerah Balik Pulau, Penang / Kumpulan 13 PPM SK Telok bahang, Penang.

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