IPOH: No mountain is too high for R. Loga Chandran, who is planning to reach nine summits in seven days to mark the nation’s 68th National Day.
“I’ve heard that someone once hiked seven mountains in seven days. That inspired me to go further, which is to scale nine mountains in seven days.
“Doing it during Merdeka week makes it even more meaningful,” he said.
Loga, 26, will begin his trek on Aug 25 and plans to complete his final summit on Aug 31.
“This mission is more than a physical challenge. It’s a patriotic journey in honour of our National Day,” he said when contacted.
His journey will take him across seven states, conquering Gunung Ledang in Johor (1,276m), Gunung Angsi (824m) and Gunung Datuk (884m) in Negri Sembilan, Gunung Hitam in Selangor (1,220m) and Gunung Siku in Pahang (1,916m).
Seasoned explorer: Loga has hiked about 30 mountains since 2020.
He will also be going to Gunung Sarut in Terengganu (1,259m), Gunung Jerai (1,217m) followed by Gunung Bintang (1,882m) in Kedah and his final peak at Gunung Kerunai in Perak (1,000m).
Loga, who is from Sitiawan, Perak, and now works as a protection officer in Singapore while pursuing a part-time degree at a Malaysian private university, said his “Merdeka mission” carries three purposes.
“It is to celebrate the occasion in a meaningful way by completing the final summit on Aug 31, showing our love for the country through action, unity and endurance.
“It is also to inspire youths in Malaysia to embrace a healthy, adventurous lifestyle and stay away from illegal or negative activities.
“The next aim is to promote unity, discipline and resilience, proving that together as Malaysians, no peak is too high,” he added.
Loga’s love for physical challenges isn’t new. Since his primary school days, he had represented his district and state in badminton, athletics and football.
Hiking became a passion in 2020 when he joined his colleagues for weekend climbs. Sometimes, he would venture out for solo treks.
“It was during the lockdown, with little else to do, that I decided to try hiking.
“I began hiking hills in Singapore and then across hills and mountains in Malaysia including Mount Kinabalu, and Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani,” he said.
Amid his work schedule and studies, Loga would find time for daily cardio workouts. He maintains a healthy diet to prepare for the challenge ahead.
“You have to do cardio exercises and take care of your food intake. Everything has to be balanced,” he said.
Loga will be joined by a team of four and is seeking sponsors to help cover the estimated RM15,000 needed for transportation, permits, accommodation, food and equipment, among others.
“So far, we’ve managed to raise about RM8,000. Sponsorships don’t have to be in cash. Accommodation, transport or gear would be a great help too,” he said.
He also aims to make an entry into the Malaysia Book of Records.
For him, this journey is about showing the younger generation that there’s a world beyond their phone screens.
“I want young people to see that no matter how busy life gets, you can still make space for your passion.
“It doesn’t have to be hiking. Any sport can give you a healthy outlet and a sense of purpose. But hiking has taught me discipline and patience,” he said.
Next year, Loga hopes to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Japan’s Mount Fuji.
