Kuala lumpur: A comprehensive review of existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for hiking, trekking, and hill-climbing activities nationwide is needed following the rising number of incidents involving hikers and climbers, Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said. He emphasized the importance of revisiting these procedures to address safety concerns amid this worrying trend.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, recent cases of hikers going missing, sustaining injuries, or losing their lives have once again highlighted the risks associated with hiking and hill-climbing activities, particularly in remote and challenging terrain. Lee acknowledged outdoor recreation as a healthy activity that should be encouraged but stressed that safety must remain the top priority.
Lee urged relevant authorities to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing SOPs. He suggested measures such as mandatory registration of hikers before entering designated trails, forests, hills, and mountains. Other proposed measures include improving monitoring systems through digital check-in and check-out mechanisms to ensure authorities are immediately alerted when hikers fail to return as scheduled, as well as imposing stricter requirements for licensed mountain guides on challenging and high-risk routes.
Lee also proposed periodic safety audits and risk assessments of popular hiking trails to identify hazards such as landslides, fallen trees, damaged pathways, poor signage, and dangerous terrain. He advocated for the installation of more directional signs, distance markers, emergency location points, and warning notices along hiking routes.
He emphasized the greater use of technology, including GPS tracking applications, emergency beacons, drones, and geolocation systems, to facilitate rapid rescue efforts. Public education campaigns should highlight the importance of avoiding solo hikes, checking weather conditions, carrying sufficient supplies, and informing family members of travel plans.
In addition, Lee proposed the development of a national database on hiking-related incidents to help authorities better understand risk factors and formulate evidence-based safety policies. He reminded hikers to exercise personal responsibility, noting that many incidents occur because individuals underestimate trail difficulty, ignore weather warnings, fail to prepare adequately, or venture into unfamiliar areas without guides.
Lee stressed that every preventable tragedy should serve as a lesson for all stakeholders. The objective is not to discourage hiking activities but to ensure that Malaysians can enjoy nature safely and responsibly. He also noted that search and rescue (SAR) operations for missing hikers often involve substantial manpower and resources from the Fire and Rescue Department, the Royal Malaysia Police, Forestry Department, Civil Defence Force, mountain guides, volunteers, and local communities.
Such operations can stretch over several days and expose rescuers to considerable risks. In a recent case, a 19-year-old girl who went missing while descending Bukit Changkat Asa in Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor, was found dead on Wednesday after a four-day SAR operation.