Mount Kinabalu training centre construction under scrutiny

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has pledged to ensure the High Altitude Training Centre (HATC) being built on Mount Kinabalu adheres to approved designs and environmental standards. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin assured a thorough inspection by Sabah Parks and other pertinent bodies to confirm compliance.

Should any infringement be identified, the ministry is prepared to take appropriate legal action, he stated in a recent declaration. The HATC, a cornerstone of the nation's inaugural Unesco World Heritage Site, aims to offer basic lodging for specialized training and mountaineering activities. Its proposal emerged in 2015 under the Kinabalu Park Development Plan but was delayed by a 2015 earthquake.

The project was resurrected and inaugurated last year, with a focus on minimizing ecological impact through the use of lightweight, prefabricated, and modular materials. The structures are engineered to endure high-altitude winds and adverse weather conditions. Jafry emphasized that environmental preservation remains paramount, vowing to safeguard Mount Kinabalu's ecological balance while advancing tourism development.

The HATC intends to equip mountaineers for expeditions to global peaks like Mount Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and Everest. Furthermore, it could serve as a magnet for international mountaineering clubs and organizations, generating economic prospects for local communities and the tourism sector.