GEORGE TOWN – A Penang-born mountaineer is aiming to be the first fully hearing-impaired Malaysian to reach the summit of Mount Everest in May.
Muhammad Hawari Hashim, 32, will be accompanied by nine other experienced Malaysian climbers on the expedition, which begins in May.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow described him as an inspiration when he paid a courtesy call on Chow prior to embarking on the remarkable journey.
Hawari, who communicates with hand signals, understands what it takes to scale the world’s highest peak at 8,848.46m above the sea-level.
He is experienced, having scaled mountains such as Mount Rinjani and Mount Tebing Keraton in Indonesia, as well as reaching the Annapurna base camp in Nepal.
Hawari, from Kepala Batas, is married with two children.
The ten climbers will be representing the country in the expedition organised by the federal government under the Keluarga Malaysia Everest 2022 initiative.
Hawari, who has been working at the state museum for over ten years now, will be the only physically challenged person among the national climbers.
Chow handed over the state flag to Hawari to plant at the summit.
“On behalf of the state, I wish all the climbers, especially Hawari, the best in completing your mission,” he said.
“This is a huge challenge, and I hope the Malaysian team will make our country proud. However, it is important to stay safe and abide by the safety protocols throughout the journey.
“I also believe that his colleagues at the museum will do their part by encouraging Hawari in his mission. We should all pray that he will overcome challenges that may occur during his journey up to the mountain,” said Chow.
Hawari shared through an interpreter that he has met the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Penang Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak to discuss his mission.
He also shared that the Penang governor wants him to write a book about his mission and to exhibit his climbing gear for the mission at the state museum. – The Vibes, March 23, 2022
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