Journey to the top: Mohd Khafiz holding a copy of ‘Misi K2’ and a photo of him holding the Johor flag at the K2 summit.
PONTIAN: When Mohd Khafiz Bachok sold off his furniture business three years ago to pursue his dream of climbing the world’s second highest peak, few understood his action.
But in July 2023, that decision made sense when the 45-year-old made headlines by becoming the second Malaysian to reach the summit of K2 – widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous mountain.
“People thought I was crazy, but I knew I needed to go all in.
“Before the climb, I proved my determination by cycling solo from Tanjung Piai to China in 2022 in three months with just a bicycle and a tent,” said the father of four.
“K2 was not a spur of the moment goal. The climb was part of a larger mission called ZeroTo8000, a personal campaign I launched to raise funds and put Malaysia on the global mountaineering map,” he said when interviewed at his home here.
To fund his journey, he sold his business and dedicated a full year to training, as the road to K2 is not only physically gruelling but also emotionally straining.
To add to it, a month before his climb, tragedy struck when two Malaysians died on Mount Everest in May 2023.
“The news rattled me and reopened wounds from a previous expedition that I led to Iran’s Mount Damavand, where two of my teammates passed away.
“I nearly gave up my K2 dream then, but I told myself if I stopped now, their sacrifices would mean nothing,” he said.
It all paid off when, at 8,611m above sea level, Mohd Khafiz planted the Jalur Gemilang at the K2 summit.
“The feeling was indescribable. I felt that the moment was not just for me but for everyone who believed in the impossible.”
Since then, Mohd Khafiz has conquered nearly 70 mountains across the globe, including Mount Manaslu in Nepal, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, and Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya) in Irian Jaya, Indonesia.
He also recently released a book called Misi K2, which documents his journey and the lives lost along the way.
The story has also attracted the attention of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas), which is backing a documentary on his mission.
Now, he is raising RM500,000 to fund his Mount Everest expedition in April next year.
To sustain his dream, Mohd Khafiz has launched a line of ZeroTo8000 merchandise, hoping Malaysians will rally behind his vision.
“The world has yet to hear of a Malaysian completing all 14 peaks above 8,000m.
“I want to prove that we are no less than the rest of the world.”
Mohd Khafiz said the support and love shown by his family and friends matter the most to him in chasing his dreams.
“I started with nothing, but I was never in it alone,” he said.
