By Nancy Nais
MULU, June 30: A group of ten media personnel from Kuching have set out on an extraordinary four-day adventurous expedition to climb the legendary Mulu Pinnacles on Mount Api.
Located deep within the heart of Sarawak’s iconic UNESCO World Heritage site, Mulu National Park, the event, organised by the Kuching Division Journalist Association (KDJA) and supported by the Sarawak government, is a test of endurance, camaraderie, and appreciation for Sarawak’s world-renowned natural heritage.
The team, made up of reporters and photographers from various media organisations in Kuching, namely DayakDaily (Nancy Nais), Malaysian National News Agency (Zaphne Philip and Rozlin Rusharmeen Rosmin), See Hua Daily (Chong Kho Lee), Borneo Post (Roystein Emmor Entai), Utusan Borneo (Mohammad Faisal Ahmad), Suara Sarawak (Nick Fletcher Neha), Sin Chew Daily (Chong You Kiat), Cats FM (Karuna Sho Hei Pohim), and TVS (Jeeridyne-Eve Chan Sue-En).
They were also accompanied by Mohd Sufri Alulakal from the Unit Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team of Malaysia (STORM) of the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba).
The Mulu Pinnacles is a spectacular series of razor-sharp limestone spires rising dramatically from the forested slopes of Mount Api and is one of Sarawak’s prized eco-tourism icons.
KDJA president Ronnie Teo said the expedition is more than just a physical challenge.
“KDJA is happy that the Sarawak Premier continues to challenge the media to achieve more beyond our careers, which is the basis for our annual hiking project under Kinabalu since 2018 until today.
“This year, in conjunction with our fifth edition, we decided to take our challenge to the Mulu Pinnacles for KDJA members.
“As it is deemed tougher, we have made our requirements stricter, whereby only KDJA members who participated in our previous Mount Kinabalu expedition, successfully reached the summit, and remain actively fit have been shortlisted,” Teo said in a statement.
He hoped that the team of 11 members would do their best to reach the Pinnacles, stay safe, and enjoy the experience every step of the way.
Teo added that it is also a journey to reconnect with Sarawak’s rich natural heritage and to promote responsible eco-tourism through the eyes of local media practitioners.
He believes the best way to tell Sarawak’s stories is to experience them firsthand. — DayakDaily
