Jaslinda Saludin, 49, was lost in Malaysia’s remote mountainous terrain for two weeks without any food – but miraculously survived on water collected from pitcher plants
A hiker has been found alive after spending two weeks lost in mountains in southwest Malaysia without any food.
Jaslinda Saludin, 49, says she managed to survive by drinking water collected from pitcher plants.
Saludin was part of a group of 14 hikers accompanied by two mountain guides attempting a trek up Gunung Batu Putih near Tapah on May 23. She became separated from the group the following day and wasn’t found until Saturday, June 6.
Describing her ordeal, she said: “I had no food, I didn’t eat for two weeks. I drank water… dark water, brown water, water from pitcher plants. So let’s all be grateful to be alive.”
She is believed to have continued up the mountain alone after stopping to rest due to pain in her legs, with the last confirmed sighting by her guide at around 7.30am on May 24.
Authorities were alerted after reports involving injured hikers at Gunung Batu Putih, with the Perak Fire and Rescue Department receiving a call at about 11.32am.
But the guide reportedly assumed Ms Saludin had already made her way towards the summit, according to the Malay Mail. A formal search and rescue operation was only initiated on May 25, once she had been missing for 24 hours.
She was eventually found near an Orang Asli village close to Kampung Lubuk Gaharu at Pos Mush at around 5pm, roughly two weeks after she first disappeared. Saludin was taken to hospital for treatment, The Malay Mail reported.
Search coordinators later said she was found within an area that had already been extensively covered by rescue teams.
“It was an area that our teams had traversed from both the upper and lower sections,” said Perak Forestry Mountain Guide coordinator Muzafar Mohamad, 50. “The terrain is extremely challenging, filled with valleys, waterfalls and difficult ground.
“Even for experienced mountain guides, reaching certain sections is not easy,” he said.
Her husband, Haszman Othman, 61, expressed gratitude on her behalf, with Ms Saludin also apologising for the trouble caused by her disappearance, saying: “I am sorry for causing trouble to Malaysians.”
Mr Othman said: “Thank you to everyone involved, especially the police, Fire and Rescue Department personnel, NGOs, the Orang Asli (Indigenous people) and all those who participated in the search operation.”
