Family Seeks Answers After 34-Year-Old Hiker Dies Alone Of Hypothermia On Gunung Liang
Mustaqqeem's family is now urging the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
By May Vin Ang | 22 Oct 2025, 11:28 AM
#death#hiking#news#pahang#perak#tragedyCover image via Ilham Media (Facebook)
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A 34-year-old hiker was found dead at the summit of Gunung Liang in Tanjung Malim, Perak, on Thursday, 16 October
The victim, Mustaqqeem Mansoor, had joined nine friends and two mountain guides for a three-day expedition that began on Friday, 10 October, from Bukit Fraser, Pahang.
According to Harian Metro, the group was originally scheduled to descend via Gunung Liang on Monday, 13 October, but their journey extended into a fourth day.
Mustaqqeem reportedly suffered muscle cramps and was last seen close to the mountain's summit at around 10.30pm on Tuesday, 14 October.
On Tuesday night, the group decided to continue their descent as camping at the summit was not possible due to bad weather
They believed Mustaqqeem would be safe as he was accompanied by a designated mountain guide known as the sweeper -- the last person ensuring no one is left behind.
Speaking to Berita Harian, a close friend of the victim, Muhammad Hafidz Mohd Kamal, 36, said they never abandoned Mustaqqeem and trusted the guide to assist him down.
However, after reaching the base at around 6.30am on Wednesday, 15 October -- having already waited three hours earlier along the trail for Mustaqqeem to catch up -- Hafidz waited again until 8am.
When neither Mustaqqeem nor the sweeper arrived, he grew worried and decided to gear up to climb back up the mountain to search for them at around 9am.
During his search, Hafidz said he encountered the sweeper, Rahimi, at around 12.45pm, who told him that Mustaqqeem was slowly making his way down from the peak.
When he did not appear, they continued their climb to search for him. However, at around 6pm, Hafidz said bad weather forced both of them to turn back to the base.
It was Mustaqqeem's wife, Nur Faratin, who eventually lodged a missing person's report after learning about her husband's disappearance from the hikers.
In an interview with Harian Metro, Rahimi, 50, said he had accompanied Mustaqqeem throughout the expedition. According to Rahimi, Mustaqqeem was still able to walk slowly despite his muscle cramps, but they were still far behind the group.
Rahimi recalled that on the night of Tuesday, 14 October, he and Mustaqqeem were at the summit of Gunung Liang.
"After eating and drinking, we decided to descend at around 10.30pm. He was weak but could still walk slowly.
"In the darkness, I could clearly see his headlamp moving down from the summit, even though it was raining heavily and the weather was cold. I moved slowly while waiting for him, confident he would be able to descend without any problems," Rahimi said.
However, Rahimi lost track of Mustaqqeem after the former went ahead briefly to scout the trail and look for mobile coverage to contact the other guide and the expedition organiser.
Rahimi explained that as the sweeper, he never intended to leave Mustaqqeem behind and waited for him at several points along the route.
"I was too exhausted to go back and look for him, especially since I had injured my toes and had to wear slippers to continue the journey. I never imagined something so tragic could happen," he added.
Mustaqqeem was eventually found dead at 3.30pm on Thursday, 16 October, at the summit of Gunung Liang
His body was airlifted from the 1,933-metre mountain the following day using a Fire and Rescue Department helicopter after weather conditions improved.
A post-mortem conducted at Hospital Slim River determined that he died of hypothermia.
Deputy Muallim District Police Chief Deputy Supt Suhaimi Muhamad said the police have recorded statements from eight individuals involved in the expedition
"There are still three more climbers whose statements have not been recorded and will be summoned in the near future to complete the investigation.
"It is understood that the three other climbers returned home immediately after arriving at the foot of the mountain due to work and leave," he told Bernama on Sunday, 19 October.
Mustaqqeem's family is now urging the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death
According to Sinar Harian, his mother, Rohani Saad, 65, said that while the family accepts his passing, they remain dissatisfied with the circumstances surrounding the death of her eldest of three children.
"I was told that Mustaqqeem's hiking friends said they searched for him for more than six hours but couldn't find him. Yet, when the Fire and Rescue Department went up to search, they found him within three hours at the mountain's peak -- and they said he had been there (at the peak) all along.
"We're not questioning his death -- we accept that it was God's will -- but what we can't accept is why they (his friends) left him up there and didn't make a police report or inform the fire department," she said on Saturday, 18 October.
Mustaqqeem's younger brother, Muzammeer Mansor, 33, said his late brother, who worked as an IT executive, was very active in sports and had started mountain climbing earlier this year.
He said Mustaqqeem had successfully summited at least five mountains in Malaysia, as he was planning to conquer the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal.
Muzammeer added that Mustaqqeem had been married to Nur Faratin for about five years, and the couple do not have any children.
Watch Mustaqqeem's mother's interview here:
@hmetromy
'Anak mati kita reda, tapi pasaipa hangpa tinggal dia'- ibu Allahyarham Mustaqqeem
♬ original sound - Harian Metro
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