By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, June 25: Trail run and outdoor event organisers in Sarawak should introduce control points along routes to better track participants and prevent hikers from getting lost in forested areas, says Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He said the growing number of running and recreational sports events in the State is a positive development, reflecting increasing public interest in healthy and active lifestyles.
However, he stressed that organisers must prioritise safety, especially for events involving jungle trekking or participants from outside Sarawak.
“If you are from Kuching, you are unlikely to get lost. But outsiders might, things like that.
“Even beyond hash events, for trekking and mountain climbing, we have heard of many hikers going up Mount Santubong and losing their way,” he said.
He said organisers and custodians of trekking sites must ensure proper trail identification and require participants to register before entering such routes.
Abdul Karim added that while road-based runs in urban areas are generally safer, stronger monitoring systems are still necessary for all outdoor events.
He also said basic measures such as sweepers and headcounts before and after a run may not be sufficient in forest environments.
“When you are under the canopy of the trees, people can get lost. If you only monitor who gets on the bus and who does not, when you do a headcount later, you will ask: ‘Where are they? Earlier there were 40, now there are 35. Where are the five? Where are you going to find them?’
“So that’s why during the run, from one end to the other end, there should be control points every one to two kilometres where someone records the participants. Only then can we ensure proper monitoring,” he explained.
Abdul Karim also reminded organisers of major events such as the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) to ensure participant safety from entry to exit, including proper accountability systems throughout.
“Those who go in must also come out. There must be a final sweeper. I don’t want to see people lying by the roadside—drunk foreigners and all that.
“It is our responsibility to look after those who come to our State,” he added, stressing that experienced organisers should be trusted to implement proper safety protocols.
Recent data from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department showed that 52 cases involving 114 hikers getting lost were recorded in the first five months of 2026 (January to May), marking an increase of nearly 30 per cent compared to 40 cases involving 88 victims during the same period last year.
The authorities said the rise was linked to growing participation in hiking and outdoor recreational activities, particularly in easily accessible forested and hilly areas. — DayakDaily
