KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 – Beginning this year, the climber-to-guide ratio for mountains over 1,500ft or 457.2m in Peninsular Malaysia is 7:1.
Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM) forest eco-park and state forest park director, Mohd Yussainy Md Yusop, said the new rule — which will be fully enforced next year — is aimed at improving safety and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
He said the state forestry department will identify the areas concerned.
He said, however, that mountaineers can still get a guide for peaks that are lower as they will be paying for expenses.
“So far, the Forestry Department has issued the standard operating procedure (SOP) four times for eco-forest and forest park reopening … the SOP must stay to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“The ratio of one guide to seven mountaineers for peaks that are 1,500ft or 457.2m high is to allow the Forestry Department to control entry and exit. We want to use 2021 to create awareness of the rule, with enforcement beginning in 2022,” he told Bernama.
Consistent with the safety aspect, the Forestry Department and Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) jointly conduct a course for guides across the country to improve their skills and knowledge, particularly on safety and the fundamentals.
“This is vital for forest and mountain guides who accompany members of the public. In the past 10 years, there have been over 218 accidents and 128 fatalities because guides hadn’t received forestry and rescue training.
“So the course teaches forestry basics like law and plant identification for survival, while the JBPM safety module is geared to teaching emergency aid,” said Mohd Yussainy.
He added that the five-day course is held every month across Malaysia beginning in February and aimed at the youth and locals who have indigenous knowledge.
He said there have been 3,000 applications to join which is a good sign that Malaysians are considering becoming a guide since jobs are being lost because of COVID-19.
JBPM deputy chief director (operations), Datuk Abdul Wahab Mat Yasin, said the guides who are selected for the programme will be trained as first responders to provide help until the JBPM arrives.
“We will teach the guides search and rescue basics, first aid, how to get a victim to a safe location, high-altitude rescue, and compass and map navigation,” he said.
Source: BERNAMA