‘Didn’t eat for two weeks’: Female hiker, 49, recounts ordeal of being lost in Malaysian jungle
Jaslinda Saludin was rescued on Saturday (Jun 6) by local villagers after going missing during an expedition to Gunung Batu Putih in Perak.
A screengrab of a video circulating online showing 49-year-old Jaslinda Saludin at the village headman’s house after she was rescued by villagers of Lubuk Gaharu. (Photo: Facebook/Mohd Fadli Salleh)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
TAPAH, Perak: A Malaysian hiker who was rescued on Saturday (Jun 6) after being reported missing for two weeks during an expedition in Perak said she survived without food, relying only on water she found in the forest.
Jaslinda Saludin, 49, was among 14 hikers and two mountain guides taking part in a trek to Gunung Batu Putih that began on May 23, according to local media.
She was reported missing the following day and was found at about 3pm on Saturday by villagers from the Orang Asli settlement of Lubuk Gaharu near the base of the mountain, the New Straits Times reported.
Recounting her ordeal, Jaslinda said she “felt like dying” after becoming separated from her group, reported Harian Metro.
“I really had no food. I did not eat for two weeks. I only ate earlier today,” she said in a video circulating online.
In the 30-second clip, believed to have been recorded while she was receiving assistance at the village headman’s house, Jaslinda said that she struggled to find clean drinking water.
“I only drank black water, brown water and water from pitcher plants … I felt like I was hanging between life and death,” she said, according to Harian Metro.
Speaking to reporters when met at the village, Jaslinda also apologised for her prolonged disappearance, which led to a massive search and rescue effort.
“I am sorry for causing trouble to Malaysians,” she was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Videos and photographs shared online showed her eating instant noodles at the home of the village headman, or Tok Batin, after she was rescued.
Jaslinda said she found it difficult to navigate the “extreme” terrain and walked in circles while trying to reconnect with her group until she found a water source.
“I felt like I was dying going up and down, up and down. The ground was too soft,” she was quoted as saying by Harian Metro.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said that there was a period of about three days when Jaslinda did not have access to water, noting that she survived by drinking dew and river water, as well as jungle produce.
Sabarodzi said that Jaslinda was found by fishermen near a river at the Lubuk Gaharu village, before the Perak Fire and Rescue Department handed her over to Health Ministry officials at about 9.20pm.
Nazri Bah Eng, one of the villagers who found Jaslinda, said she was staggering when he and two other family members were heading towards a river near their village.
“We happened to be going fishing in the river when suddenly one of us noticed Jaslinda in a weak state and crying. She was also carrying a plastic bag filled with mushrooms,” Nazri was quoted as saying by The Star.
“I immediately brought her back to the village chief’s house, and we gave her food and drinks because she looked extremely exhausted,” he said when met at the Tapah Hospital on Saturday.
Perak Forestry Mountain Guide coordinator Muzafar Mohamad, said Jaslinda was found within a search zone that rescuers had repeatedly covered during the operation, reported The Star.
“It was an area that our teams had traversed from both the upper and lower sections,” he said.
“The terrain is extremely challenging, filled with valleys, waterfalls and difficult ground. Even for experienced mountain guides, reaching certain sections is not easy.”
According to local media reports, Jaslinda was taking part in the Trans Spencer Chapman trek at Gunung Batu Putih, which began at 2 am on May 23.
She and another 41-year-old climber were reported to have experienced health issues and stopped during the ascent. However, Jaslinda is believed to have continued towards the summit and was last seen on May 24.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed relief following her rescue.
“Thank God. Thank you to the volunteers and rescue teams, as well as the Orang Asli people of Lubuk Gaharu for protecting sister Jaslinda,” he wrote on Facebook on Saturday.
Source: Agencies/ia(js)
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
