A hiker who went missing at Gunung Yong Yap yesterday was found in a weakened state by an Orang Asli man as he was finishing his day tapping rubber. The hiker, 22-year-old Ilhami Mohd Idris, had descended the mountain when he was discovered, his elder brother Fahmi Mohd Idris confirmed to the New Straits Times.

Ilhami was part of a 17-person hiking group that had begun their ascent via Pos Kuala Mu. When he failed to return, a search operation was launched early in the morning, led by a team of five rangers and members of the Perak Fire and Rescue Department. However, despite extensive efforts, the search party was unable to locate him at the peak.

Fortunately, an Orang Asli man encountered Ilhami on his way back from tapping rubber and took immediate action. Fahmi explained that it took the rescuer 30 minutes to transport Ilhami by motorcycle back to his village at Pos Kuala Mu, the starting point of the climb.

Fahmi recalled the emotional moment when he and the rescuers were reunited with Ilhami. "Ilhami kept telling the Orang Asli man that he was hungry, so he took him to a restaurant. We had just arrived and were about to enter the wilderness when my younger brother spotted him on the motorcycle," he said.

It was purely by chance that they crossed paths near the restaurant, Fahmi added. Following the rescue, Ilhami was taken by a fire department ambulance to Sungai Siput Hospital for further medical evaluation.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department Assistant Director (Operations) Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad confirmed that Ilhami had been found alive. "We began searching for the victim around 7.30 am today," he said.

Ilhami's safe return brings relief to his family and the hiking community, highlighting the crucial role of local Orang Asli residents in search and rescue efforts in Malaysia's mountainous regions.

Source: NST