A woman who went missing during a mountain trek in southwest Malaysia has been rescued after surviving for two weeks without food. Jaslinda Saludin, 49, recounted her harrowing experience, mentioning that she sustained herself by drinking water extracted from pitcher plants.
Saludin was part of a group of 14 hikers, accompanied by two guides, embarking on a journey up Gunung Batu Putih near Tapah on May 23. She got separated from the group the next day and was only located on Saturday, June 6.
After enduring the ordeal, Saludin, who had not eaten for two weeks, expressed gratitude for being alive. She detailed her reliance on various sources of water, including dark and brown water, along with water from pitcher plants.
Following her separation from the group, Saludin continued her trek up the mountain solo after a brief rest due to leg pain. The authorities were alerted about the missing hiker after reports of injured individuals at Gunung Batu Putih. The Perak Fire and Rescue Department was informed and initiated a search and rescue operation on May 25, once she had been missing for 24 hours.
Saludin was eventually discovered near an Orang Asli village close to Kampung Lubuk Gaharu at Pos Mush around 5 pm, approximately two weeks after she first went missing. She was promptly taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
Search coordinators noted that Saludin was found in an area extensively covered by rescue teams, emphasizing the challenging terrain that posed difficulties even for experienced guides. Saludin’s husband conveyed gratitude on her behalf and apologized for any inconvenience caused by her disappearance.
Grateful for the support received during the search operation, her husband extended thanks to the police, Fire and Rescue Department personnel, NGOs, and the Orang Asli community for their efforts.
