Kiau Gap site stays open for families to remember Sabah earthquake victims

New Straits Times

05-06-2025

RANAU: The Kiau Gap View site, which honours the 18 lives lost during the June 5, 2015, earthquake, will remain open to families wishing to visit and hold private moments of remembrance.
Sabah Parks Board of Trustees chairman Peter Lintar announced that no more formal memorial services will be held at the Kiau Gap site in the coming years.
"You are not alone.
"The memory of your loved ones lives on in our prayers and collective spirit," he said during the 10th Memorial Service held at the site, where a monument was erected in 2016 to honour the victims.
He also said that Sabah Parks had consistently organised annual memorials since 2016 and expressed gratitude to all who have attended especially the families of the victims.
The victims, including spirited schoolchildren from Singapore, were remembered as individuals taken too soon in a place meant to symbolise the beauty of nature.
Their families were commended for their enduring resilience.
During the ceremony, family members lit candles at exactly 7.15am the time the earthquake struck ten years ago and later laid flowers at the monument.
"This is a day of reflection, remembrance, and strength for all of us.
Mount Kinabalu, so majestic, became the backdrop to a tragedy that claimed 18 beloved lives.
"The scars of that day remain deeply etched in the hearts of families, friends, the people of Sabah and Malaysia, as well as the international community who also felt its impact.
"To those who lost loved ones, we understand that the pain never truly goes away. Ten years may heal physical wounds, but the longing for those we lost endures.
"Thank you for the strength and courage you have shown over the years," he added.
The memorial also paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifices of mountain guides, porters, rescue personnel, volunteers, and local villagers who played critical roles in the search and rescue operations.
Since the tragedy, various initiatives have been implemented to improve safety and preparedness on the mountain.
These include the formation of the Mountain Search and Rescue (MoSAR) unit, regular rescue simulation exercises, enhanced standard operating procedures (SOPs), better emergency protocols, and upgraded training and assessments for mountain guides. Public awareness campaigns have also been strengthened to improve disaster readiness.
"We have learned the importance of humility in the face of nature's power and the need for efficient early warning systems and safe climbing practices."
Among those present were Sabah Parks director Dr Maklarin Lakim; Sabah Fire and Rescue chief Mohd Pisar Aziz; Ranau district officer Tinus Manggam; Archbishop Datuk John Wong; and Ranau police representative Deputy Superintendent Ediansha Endal.