KOTA KINABALU – Corporate figure Tan Sri Azman Hashim has proven that age is just a number by scaling to the peak of Mount Kinabalu, said to be the highest point in Southeast Asia.
The former AmBank Group chairman, who is 84, managed the feat last Tuesday after having begun the climb at 9.45am the day before, reports Bernama.
He arrived at Laban Rata, the halfway house, at 7.15 pm. The final phase of the climb then started before dawn at 5am, enabling him to reach the summit early in the morning.
“I’m gratified of this achievement at 84. For me age is not a barrier and believe with determination and high spirit, everything can be achieved,” he told Bernama through email here today.
This marks Azman’s second climb in reaching the summit of Mount Kinabalu, which stands at 4,095 metres above sea level. His first ascent to the top was achieved at the age of 71 in 2010.
Asked about his advice, especially to the younger generation, Azman said this achievement further exemplifies one’s commitment to push boundaries and attain new heights in every endeavour.
“This achievement will also undoubtedly serve as an inspiration to all, across all generations, that nothing is impossible to achieve, and within our grasp,” he said.
Azman is one of Malaysia's doyens in the banking fraternity, having started off in the sector in the 1960s. With his entrepreneurial spirit, he has been the key driver of AmBank Group’s growth since 1982.
From its origins as the Arab-Malaysian Development Bank with an initial staff of 200, Azman built it to a financial conglomerate, the AmBank Group, with over 9,000 staff.
Meanwhile, according to the Mount Kinabalu Information Centre spokesperson, the oldest Malaysian to scale and reach the peak of the mountain was 90-year-old Buatin Blandong who managed the feat on September 5 last year.
It was the eighth time the government retiree form Papar, Sabah had managed to get to the peak, with the first time being during his youth years. – Bernama, November 2, 2023
