[Watch] Mount Kinabalu Porters Do Hard Labour For Low Pay, Gets RM5 For Every Kilogram In 6KM Journey

The importance of porters in hiking is often underestimated, and they are often underpaid.

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Standing majestically at 4,095 Meters (13,435 feet), Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia.

Many have climbed the mountain with help from porters, literally the backbone of the trekking adventure.

Everything you see in the mountains that nature didn’t put there – a porter did.

But competition for jobs and travellers looking for a bargain means porters – despite the physical labour and mental resilience involved – work for little pay and in poor condition.

RT @i_amoureuse: mount kinabalu porter.bloody strong and some of them are women.salute! pic.twitter.com/csRk1s5Bbi
— infopendaki (@infopendaki) February 8, 2015

Recently, a porter in Mount Kinabalu shares the reality of his life as a mountain guide and porter.

In a Tiktok post by @jyvmius97_aolm, the porter talks about the service of carrying climbers’ items from the starting point to the Panalaban base camp (Laban Rata).

@jvymius97_aolm #jawapan kepada @user9076455044982 #fyp ♬ bunyi asal – Jvy weterproof_AOLM

Weight To The Top: The Important Work Of Porters

An essential part of hiking, the porter specializes in the logistics of mountaineering – carrying climbers’ items from the starting point to the Panalaban base camp (Laban Rata).

According to the man, the 6-kilometre journey only costs RM5 for every 1-kilogram load.

Porter di kinabalu emang kerjaannya gituan, apa aja dibawa pic.twitter.com/xx5hgyD32y
— getar saja (@sikumannakal) February 18, 2022

As for the climbing period, it takes 4 hours to climb and 3 hours to complete.

Netizens, however, feel the rate of wages charged is not worth it and too cheap.

Netizens also hope that the ‘porter’ who serves on Mount Kinabalu will increase the wage rate because it is not easy to lift heavy goods when climbing the mountain.

Hikers heading up Mount Kinabalu. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Why Is It Advisable To Hire Porters?

In the meantime, it is hoped that the climbers are not too stingy to give a fair wage.

While it is understandable that some hikers want to squeeze their budget to the lowest possible, porters deserve a fair wage and to be treated like the heroes they are.

Jadi kamu² yang plan mau naik Mt Kinabalu and guna service porter..mohonlah jangan tawar menawar harga. Mmg ini lah pendapatan org lokal di sana. https://t.co/vPvzUOh8ZB
— rkchn #Broker 👶📦 (@qiechan516) February 16, 2020

They are respected for their adaptation to high altitudes and are often hired to assist expeditions to mountain summits.

When you hire a porter, they will do so much more than just carry a load for you. Your porter makes sure you have the best experience possible.