‘Please stay in one place’: Missing hiker Jaslinda found messages meant to save her, but days too late

TAPAH, June 7 — The female climber who was found safe after going missing in the Gunung Batu Putih area, Jaslinda Saludin, 49, found two notes left by the search and rescue (SAR) team at Kem Air Busok during the operation.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director of operations, Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the notes were with Jaslinda when she was found yesterday before being shown to the fire department.

“The note was left by a forestry mountain guide (MGP) known as Hafiz while conducting a search in the Kem Air Busok area on May 30.

“On that day, the search team focused on the route from Pos Musoh to Kem Air Busok and the note was left as an indication that the SAR team had passed through the area,” he said.

Sabarodzi said, based on information obtained, Jaslinda only arrived in the Kem Air Busok area on Friday (June 5), which is the day before she was found by Orang Asli residents in Kampung Lubuk Gaharu.

“The discovery of the note shows that Jaslinda had been near the route that the SAR team had travelled throughout the search operation,” he said.

One of the notes shared with the media read “Kak Jas please stay in one place, people are looking for you – Hafiz.”

Previously, Jaslinda was reported to have joined the climb with 13 other climbers and two MGP via the Trans Spencer Chapman route which started at 2 am, May 23 via the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route.

Jaslinda and another climber, Mohd Hanafi Neikmad, 41, were reported to have suffered health problems and stopped climbing. However, the supply chain executive at a private company is believed to have continued on to the summit before being last seen on May 24. — Bernama