Singapore to observe Day of National Remembrance for Sabah quake victims
Monday (Jun 8) will be a Day of National Remembrance for the eight Singaporeans who died and two who are still missing after the Sabah earthquake, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced on Sunday. State flags on all Government buildings will be flown at half-mast and a minute's silence will be observed at the beginning of the day at all SEA Games venues.
"We hope that this collective expression of sympathy and support from all Singaporeans will give solace and comfort to the families and loved ones of the victims," the PMO said.
Six of the dead were students from Tanjong Katong Primary School, while one is a teacher. Another student and a teacher from the primary school are still missing. A Singaporean adventure guide who was with the students on an expedition to Mount Kinabalu at the time of the earthquake, was also killed.
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DAY OF NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE ON 8 JUNE TO MOURN KINABALU VICTIMS
STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
The Prime Minister is deeply saddened by the deaths of eight Singaporeans in the earthquake at Mount Kinabalu. They were one teacher and six pupils from Tanjong Katong Primary School on an overseas learning trip, plus one adventure guide. One teacher and one student are still missing.
On behalf of all Singaporeans, the Prime Minister expresses his deepest condolences and sympathies to their families and loved ones. As we grieve over the loss of these young lives, we also take heart that they were striving to stretch their limits and take on new challenges.
The Prime Minister also thanks all those who are working tirelessly in the search, rescue and recovery efforts – the Malaysian authorities, the search and rescue teams, the hospital staff, and all the officers and volunteers who are helping in one way or other in Sabah and Singapore.
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Australian climber describes harrowing escape from Mount Kinabalu earthquake
Climbers wait for rescue atop Mount Kinabalu after the earthquake hit. (Supplied: Vee Jin Dumlao)
Australian climber Vee Jin Dumlao was atop Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu when a magnitude-6.0 earthquake hit. When her group was left stranded by rescue officers, they decided to make the perilous journey down themselves.
It was supposed to be a quiet dawn climb. Leaving at 2:30am for the top of Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu, Borneo's tallest mountain, a group of 137 climbers — including two Australians — reached the peak's granite plateau at dawn, and had expected to be back at Laban Rata for breakfast.
But at 7:30am, that plan abruptly changed.
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MOE details events of Tanjong Katong Primary School expedition in lead-up to Sabah quake
Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) has organised school trips to Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia multiple times, and participants have successfully completed the hike for seven years, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Sunday (Jun 7).
During a technical briefing, it was revealed that at least one international school in Singapore has also organised trips to Mount Kinabalu for its students.
Six students and a teacher from the school, and a Singaporean adventure guide were among the 18 killed at Mount Kinabalu when a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Sabah state on Friday morning. One teacher and one student are still missing. The group of 29 students and eight teachers had gone to Mount Kinabalu for a leadership programme.
related: Emotionalsupport for victims' loved ones
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TKPS PARENT: I STILL FULLY SUPPORT THE SCHOOL'S KINABALU EXPEDITION
It is with a very heavy heart as I write this. My younger son graduated from Tanjong Katong Primary School last year. And yes, he was among the privileged group of leaders selected for the Omega Challenge Mt K Expedition last year. It is a trip for selected leaders from the various CCAs in school for the graduating batch and the school has been running the programme for years.
It is a simple trip, go to KK, stay a night. Climb Mt K, stay at Pendant Hut. Go Via Ferrata for some fun but challenging activities, go back Pendant Hut to rest. Next morning do summit climb, descend the mountain, stay a night. Home sweet home. No sight seeing, no shopping, no luxurious hotels, no great food. Yet my son had set his heart for the trip for years and actually consciously worked for it by getting into the school prefectorial board.
Prior to the trip, the school scheduled for training sessions which included serious stairs climbing. Students were also encouraged to do their own training daily which many enthusiastically did.
related: SCH TEACHER: MOUNT KINABALU IS SUITABLEFOR PRIMARY SCHOOL KIDS
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OPPOSITION VETERAN GOH MENG SENG: BRINGING 12 YO KIDS TO CLIMB MOUNTAINS IS INSANE
It is a great responsibility to lead a group of young people and I never brought anyone below 16 and full discipline is a requirement.
I am not sure how the climb of Mount Kinabalu is conducted but I will have great reservations to bring students of age 12 and below for mountain climbing.
Whether this accident happened or not, taking 12 year old to climb mountain and worse, cliff, is totally unacceptable by any standards.
related: STOP BLAMING THE TEACHERS, TKPS, MOE & GOVT OVER EVERY SINGLE THING
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MORE THAN 80 EARTHQUAKES HAVE HIT SABAH SINCE 1897
Sabah, particularly in the north and northeast of the state, has been experiencing no less than 80 earthquakes since 1897, with the latest occurring today.
Minerals and Geoscience Department director-general Datuk Yunus Abdul Razak said the earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, with the center located 16 kilometres from Ranau, was the strongest earthquake recorded so far in Malaysia.
The magnitude of the previous earthquakes were between 3.6 and 5.8 on the Richter scale. "Based on the position of the epicentre plotted on the seismotectonic map of Malaysia, today's quake was believed to be triggered by the Lobou-Lobou Fault Line," he told Bernama.
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MOUNTAIN GUIDE BRAVES BAD CONDITIONS & CARRIES INJURED S'PORE STUDENT TO SAFETY
Following the powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake yesterday morning (June 5), many climbers were trapped on the mountain and guides were crucial in bringing back the injured, the weak and the deceased through treacherous conditions. A guide named Ridwan was seen strapping an injured Singaporean boy on his back and carrying him to safety.
A photo of a guide named Ridwan hunched over with an injured climber strapped over his back has earned admiration, praise and awe from social media users who hailed him as an unsung hero. The photo of mountain guide Ridwan, posted on Sabah Park’s Facebook page, has garnered over 9,000 Likes and 890 shares after three hours.
Thank you Ridwan on behalf of all Singaporeans. We salute you for your rescue efforts, without your selfless effort, the rescue wouldn't have been possible
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LOCAL CLIMBER: MT KINABALU IS NOT A PLACE FOR CHILDREN!
The ST said that Mount K is a relatively easy you climb. Relative to what? Everest??
I have been there in June many years ago and it is definitely not an easy climb for the common man on the street. My group and I did train once a week for 3 mths before the climb and we are relatively fit adults. Along the way we saw unfit people suffering or getting injured from bad falls and having to turn back halfway and we did not see any children at all.
Those who have been to Mount K will say the same thing that they did not see children on the Mountain. I would not recommend the best climb to anyone below the age of 16. Would you bring your young children there?
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Why were Kids Scaling the More Dangerous Path in Mount Kinabalu?
The schoolchildren took the “via ferrata” way, which you see in the pictures here
There’s 2 ways to scaling Mount Kinabalu – you can take the walking path, which has shelters along the way.
It’s still a long trek to the top, but the path is carved into the mountain, and it’s simple to climb.
The other way is what’s known as the “via ferrata” way – where climbers scale metal rungs punched into Mount Kinabalu’s cliffs, and cross rope bridges across the vast rock formations below.
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A Father’s Grief: “She Begged to Go, I Shouldn’t Have Relented”; Teen Girl Dies Amidst Mount Kinabalu Earthquake
Grief and regret, for the parents of 12-year-old Wee Ying Ping Peony.
The parents of the Tanjong Katong Primary School student had never wanted her to go on the trip to Mount Kinabalu. They felt the climb was going to be tough, and examinations were coming up in just 2 months.
But Mr Alson Wee said his wife relented when Peony begged to go.
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FATHER OF DECEASED STUDENT: I REGRET LETTING HER GO ON MT KINABALU TRIP
51 year-old Mr Wee, the father of the Singaporean student Peony Wee Ying Ping, says he regrets letting her join the school expedition to Mount Kinabalu.
Peony was a primary 6 student of Tanjong Katong Primary School and among 8 students and 2 teachers who had gone missing after the earthquake struck Sabah while they were climbing. She and her peers would be sitting for their Primary School Leaving Examination in 2 months if not for the disaster.
"I should not have let her go," Mr Wee says. He only relented after his daughter begged for his approval constantly, paying S$600 (RM 1660) for the trip as he wanted to make her happy.
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S'PORE PARENT: MOE STOP SENDING OUR CHILDREN ON RISKY OVERSEAS EXPEDITIONS
Many families, especially with school going children are deeply sadden by this very very very unfortunate incident where many of our young and bright students perished in the Malaysian mountain.
We must never allow such an incident from occurring again. We must never send our young ones to harms ways, especially the fact remain that many of these young ones don't stand a chance of survival.
We must seriously review of current policies of sending our young children to such dangerous activities. The fact remain how can anybody, school and government officials compensate young children's lives to their heart broken parents.
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MOUNTAIN GUIDE TOLD TO GO TO HELL AFTER TRYING TO STOP ANG MOHS FROM TAKING NAKED PHOTO
The group of 10 tourists, believed to include two Canadians, two Dutch and a German national, who stripped naked for photographs at the peak of Mount Kinabalu allegedly called their mountain guide “stupid” and told him to “go to hell” when he attempted to stop them from removing their clothes.
Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais said that the guide was in charge of a group of 27 Europeans during an expedition on May 10 and about 10 from the group — six men and four women — broke away to pose for pictures in South Peak, on the west side of the summit’s plateau.
“The guide involved said he had approached the group and told them not to do it but was rebuffed with the words ‘stupid’ and ‘go to hell’,” said Jamili when contacted by Malay Mail Online.
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Nude Ang Moh Exhibitionists Blamed for Sabah Earthquake
The aki, or mountain protectors are furious at the tourists who stripped and urinated at Mount Kinabalu.
The earthquake was their way of venting their anger and teaching humans a lesson.
That’s what some in Malaysia are speculating. The 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Sabah’s west coast earlier this morning, with tremors felt all over the city centre.
related: Malaysia Detains Naked Ang Mohs Blamed for SabahEarthquake
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2 Canadian tourists who stripped on Mt Kinabalu barred from leaving Malaysia
TWO Canadians were prevented from leaving Malaysia after they were identified as being part of a group of tourists who stripped to pose for photos atop Sabah's Mount Kinabalu, where a deadly earthquake struck on Friday.
The Malaysian police reported that siblings Lindsey Petersen, 23, and Danielle Petersen, 22, were two of five tourists identified as being part of the group of 10 who undressed at the 8km point of a two-day hike up the mountain on May 30, and posed for photos, according to Canada's thestar.com news website. They did this despite their guide's protests.
The other three reported to the police by the guide were Dutch citizens Eleanor Hawrins and Dylan Thomas, and German Stephan Pohlner. The other five tourists in the group were not identified, reported thestar.com. On Saturday, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan blamed the actions of the tourists for the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that stuck the mountain on Friday, saying that they had "showed disrespect to the sacred mountain" and the tragedy was a "confirmation" of the consequences of their actions. He called also on the culprits to be brought to be charged in court.
related: Sabah deputy chief minister says quake brought on by tourists who stripped naked at Mount Kinabalu
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