Strengthening trail safety

Jungle safety: Malaysia must transform from a reactive ‘search and rescue’ culture to a preventive ‘safety and standards’ model, says the writer. — Filepic/The Star

THE safe return of Jaslinda Saludin after 14 days lost on Gunung Batu Putih, Perak, is a moment for gratitude – and for honest reflection. Our search and rescue (SAR) teams worked tirelessly in treacherous terrain. Many volunteers, including Orang Asli trackers, gave their time and energy. We owe them respect.

Yet the fact that Jaslinda was ultimately found by a villager, not by the organised search, suggests room for improvement – not in effort, but in systems. Let us focus on lessons, not fault.

> The guide protocol must be reviewed: Jaslinda was allowed to continue alone while her companion stayed behind with a Forestry Department mountain guide.

The “buddy system” is fundamental. Was it enforced? Did guides carry satellite communication? These are not accusations but questions worth asking for the safety of hikers in the future.

> Orang Asli knowledge is an asset: Local communities know the rivers and ridges intimately. Integrating them earlier and more systematically into SAR planning would strengthen future operations.

> Timing and communication are critical: A note left by a guide on May 30 read, “Please stay in one place, people are looking for you”. However, Jaslinda only reached that spot on June 5, six days later.

The note proved incomplete as it did not indicate SAR members would check back at the area daily. Other details could have been more usefully included, such as telephone numbers or directions to the nearest settlement (Pos Musoh or Lubuk Gaharu) or a suggestion to follow the stream downhill.

A simple, actionable directive could have made a significant difference. Future searches should include pre-written direction cards with basic maps.

> A national trail safety framework is long overdue: Malaysia lacks consistent trail signage, mandatory check-in/out systems and standardised classification.

International frameworks, such as ISO 3021:2023, provide a proven model. This standard establishes comprehensive requirements for adventure tourism involving hiking and trekking. It is specifically designed to enhance the safety of participants, leaders and assistants.

The standard also sets objective criteria for classifying a route’s characteristics and difficulty level. It applies to any hiking or trekking activity offered as a tourism product, ensuring consistent safety management across the sector.

Crucially, ISO 3021 promotes a proactive approach to safety. For trail managers, this means adopting clear, internationally-recognised waymarking principles, similar to the European Ramblers’ Association’s unified system (eg, white-over-red stripes).

For guides, it mandates certified training in wilderness first aid, emergency protocols, and lost-person tracking. For activity providers, it requires a formal safety management system, including carrying reliable satellite communication devices.

By adopting a framework like ISO 3021, Malaysia would transform from a reactive “search and rescue” culture to a preventive “safety and standards” model – ensuring our trails are managed as professionally as those in the Swiss Alps or the US Appalachian Trail, which is over 3,000km and traverses 14 states.

Our SAR teams are dedicated, but dedication alone cannot compensate for fragmented systems. A national trail safety agency – working with state authorities, guides, and Orang Asli communities – would turn heroic efforts into reliable outcomes. Let us honour Jaslinda’s survival by building a safer future for every Malaysian hiker.

As a final reminder, these are some of our fellow citizens still missing on Malaysian trails: Mohammad Ashraf Hassan aka Acap, disappeared in Gopeng, Perak, on March 23, 2019; Teo Kim Lean went missing at Bukit Hatamas, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, on June 16, 2015; Jashiah Rabu went missing in Taman Seri Seruling, Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, on Oct 23, 2015; and Mohammed Hassan Ayat Zainuddin who went missing on Gunung Yong Yap, Perak-Kelantan border, on Feb 15, 2009.

Let their names compel us to act before another family endures this unbearable wait.

PHILLIP M. RAJOO

Seremban