Off the trail, into danger: Mount Kinabalu guides warn trespassers of the price rescuers pay

Kota Kinabalu, November 2 — Kinabalu Mountain Guides Association chairman Danson Bulangai cautioned that trespassing on Mount Kinabalu's restricted trails endangers both guides and trekkers by putting guides at risk of injury and increasing search and rescue efforts. Red-painted boundaries and signs clearly outline prohibited areas.

Trespassing jeopardizes guides' ability to focus on their primary duty of supervising registered climbers. With a park covering 754 square kilometres, monitoring routes is difficult. Danson stressed that the 241 registered guides, with a standard ratio of one guide to five climbers (two guides for under-16s), provide adequate coverage for authorized climbing activities.

He highlighted the importance of guide ropes, which are kept close in foggy conditions to prevent accidents. The association is enhancing emergency response skills through joint training with Sabah Parks and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, focusing on rope rescue techniques. The training plan will be rolled out to all guides in stages.

The guide association also supports a requirement for all guides to carry walkie-talkies upon repairs to the repeater system at the Panalaban sub-station. This follows incidents involving foreign trespassers, including Croatian climber Mauro Persic, 46, who was fined RM25,000 after falling while using an unauthorized trail in September.