KUALA LUMPUR: The Forestry 121 Peaks programme - a programme to scale 121 peaks throughout Peninsular Malaysia in a single day - has successfully set a new record in the Most Simultaneous Mountain Ascents category in the Malaysia Book of Records.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said a total of 165 mountain and hill hiking locations were registered today and managed by the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM), Malim Gunung Perhutanan (MGP) and recreational communities.
He said the record created today, in conjunction with the department’s 121st anniversary, erases the previous record of 60 peaks set by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in 2017.
"The breakdown of peaks according to states are as follows: Perak (30), Selangor (29), Johor (28), Pahang (22), Kelantan (15), Negri Sembilan (13), Kedah (10), Terengganu (nine), Melaka (four), Penang (two), Perlis (one) and Sabah (two) with over 5,000 hikers participating.
"The highest recorded participants today was in Selangor with 1,195 hikers. Congratulations to the Forestry Department in managing to create such a historic moment and setting a new record," he said during the closing of the programme at Eko Rimba Park on Sunday (Oct 16).
Takiyuddin said that hikers involved in the programme were trained by the Forestry Department under his ministry’s Reskill-Upskill Ecotourism Training Programme with the support of state forestry departments.
"It is the Forestry Department’s initiative to introduce MGP to the public before the enforcement of MGP in forest reserve areas in 2023,” he said.
Regarding the programme, he said although there was an incident involving hikers and a water surge in Gunung Mat Cincang, Langkawi, the safety of hikers were guaranteed and had proven the readiness and effectiveness of MGP training. - Bernama
