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KOTA KINABALU - Sabah Parks is reviewing measures to strengthen controls and monitoring, as well as introduce effective mechanisms along high-risk routes on Mount Kinabalu, following two trespassing incidents involving Croatian climber Mauro Persic last September and a Filipino national last year.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the existing standard operating procedures and climbing regulations were generally sufficient to regulate activities on the mountain.
However, he said both incidents highlighted the need to improve preventive measures and enforcement, particularly to address attempts to use unauthorised climbing routes.
"The approach is not merely about tightening regulations, but ensuring that climbs are legal, safe and controlled. Information on the requirements and regulations is available through Sabah Parks’ official platforms, tour operators and signboards at the entrance to Kinabalu Park,” he told Bernama.
Jafry said the only official route to the summit of Mount Kinabalu starts at Timpohon Gate, and no alternative routes are open to climbers, including the route from the Mesilau Substation, which was officially closed following the earthquake on June 5, 2015.
Elaborating, he said alternative routes that had previously been open included the route from the Mesilau Substation via Layang-Layang to Low’s Peak, as well as the Kotal route, Bowen route and the route from Kampung Kiau via Marai Parai to Gurkha Hut.
"However, these routes are not open to ordinary climbers because they are categorised as extreme and high-risk routes in terms of safety, as they require a high level of mental and physical strength, as well as technical skills,” he said.
He said information dissemination to international visitors needed to be strengthened through tour operators, booking platforms and Sabah Parks’ official channels to ensure they understood the compliance requirements before beginning their climbs.
Tour operators, he said, should make SOP compliance briefings compulsory for tourists, including the requirements to obtain valid permits, use official routes and engage registered mountain guides.
"Violations can result in enforcement action. In other words, operators are on the front line in ensuring foreign tourists understand the regulations before climbing Mount Kinabalu,” he said.
Jafry said local communities also played an important role as strategic partners in protecting Mount Kinabalu by providing authorities with early information on attempted trespassing or suspicious activities.
He said communities were also urged to raise awareness and refrain from assisting or facilitating climbs through unauthorised routes, while cooperating in monitoring high-risk areas.
On proposals to install additional signboards and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, he said Sabah Parks adopted a risk-based approach, given Mount Kinabalu’s vast area, complex terrain and unique natural features.
"What is more important is to identify entry points and high-risk routes before determining the most suitable controls, whether through clearer warning signs or physical barriers at specific locations,” he said.
He added that Sabah Parks did not regard technology as a substitute for enforcement. Instead, targeted patrols, surveillance cameras at strategic locations and community cooperation needed to function as an integrated control system.
Jafry said the monitoring measures were important following Persic’s decision to publicly share the location and visuals of his climbing route, which could potentially be misused by irresponsible parties to trespass into restricted areas of Mount Kinabalu.
On the cost of search and rescue (SAR) operations, he said the establishment of a legal or policy mechanism to recover costs should be studied comprehensively, subject to the relevant laws and the jurisdiction of the agencies involved.
"At present, the priority of SAR operations is to save lives, regardless of a person’s status or the circumstances that led them to a particular location. However, the issue of cost recovery warrants policy consideration to ensure accountability among those who deliberately violate the regulations,” he said.
He said Persic had been issued a compound notice and, after settling the payment, the foreign national was briefed on climbing regulations, procedures and safety requirements.
Jafry explained that Persic had claimed the climb was spontaneous because he was captivated by the beauty of Mount Kinabalu and also acknowledged his mistake and apologised to the people of Sabah.
Persic was previously reported to have trespassed into Mount Kinabalu via an unauthorised route at Sungai Mesilau without a permit before falling. He was issued the maximum compound of RM25,000 by the authorities for the offence. - BERNAMA