Prevent Lost Hikers Through Knowledge, Not Just Tech, Says Expert
Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- A Malaysian mountaineering club president advocates for prioritizing education and discipline over technology to prevent hikers from getting lost.
- He argues that a lack of navigation skills, poor planning, and inadequate understanding of weather are primary causes, not a lack of digital tools.
- While digital logging systems can be a support, the focus should be on developing knowledgeable, disciplined hikers capable of self-risk management.
Datuk Dr. Mohd. Radzi Abdul Hamid, President of the Layskar Gunung Mountaineering Club, believes that efforts to reduce incidents of lost hikers in Malaysia should focus on building a healthy climbing culture through education, training, and discipline, rather than solely relying on technology like digital log systems.
All these cannot be solved just by introducing a digital log system.
He explained that the main reasons hikers go missing are often rooted in inadequate preparation and knowledge, such as poor navigation skills, failure to plan routes, misunderstanding weather patterns, over-reliance on mobile apps, and lacking emergency plans. "All these cannot be solved just by introducing a digital log system," he stated.
Mohd. Radzi stressed that the nation's priority should be fostering a healthy climbing culture via education, basic certification, safety awareness, and discipline. He believes that knowledge empowers hikers for life, whereas technology is merely an assistive tool with inherent limitations.
The nation's priority should be developing a healthy climbing culture through education, training, basic certification, safety awareness, and climber discipline.
He also suggested that discussions about digital log systems should not solely focus on speeding up search and rescue (SAR) operations. Instead, the emphasis should be on prevention to stop hikers from getting lost in the first place. "Don't just look at SAR operations; look at the entire climbing ecosystem," he advised.
Don't just look at SAR operations; look at the entire climbing ecosystem.
While acknowledging that digital navigation and communication technologies can be considered as support tools, Mohd. Radzi cautioned against viewing them as the primary solution. He pointed out that these technologies have limitations, especially in dense tropical forests with thick canopy cover, challenging terrain, and areas with poor communication signals. "The real focus is to produce knowledgeable, disciplined hikers who can manage their own risks. Learn before you get lost, not after you are missing," he concluded.
The real focus is to produce knowledgeable, disciplined hikers who can manage their own risks. Learn before you get lost, not after you are missing.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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