TO scientific-minded persons, the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that shook the foundations of Mount Kinabalu last week was the result of the shift of the tectonic plates that underlie the Indo-Himalayan chain and the Pacific Ring of Fire. Perhaps there is even a connection between the earthquake in Nepal that shook Mount Everest with catastrophic consequences and the current Mount Kinabalu tremor.
To those in tune with the occult and the mystical, the blatant actions of 10 Western tourists who violated the sanctity of the abode of the spirits by stripping naked at the peak area of Mount Kinabalu on May 30 may have angered the spirits of the mountains.
According to the belief of the Kadazan/Dusun tribes, the peak is the abode of the spirits and that another dimension of existence exists in that area. Some say it is just superstition while others swear of the existence of the spirit world. They contend that one needs to phase into the realm of beyond reason to comprehend the works of the spirits.
Whatever it may be, it remains that man is powerless in the face of such catastrophic incidents and only reacts after the fact.
Despite the destruction of one of the pillars of the Donkey’s Ears, which have been an iconic landmark of the Kinabalu peaks, and the rockfalls that may have damaged the climbing tracks, Mount Kinabalu remains intact without losing its majesty and sublime grandeur.
To climb Mount Kinabalu and savour its pristine unpolluted air, to view the change in the flora from subtropical to tundra vegetation, to negotiate the Panar Laban rock face and to track up to Sayat-Sayat and the peak to witness the glorious dawn is an experience beyond words.
An avid climber usually develops a bond between him and the mountain, always treating it with respect and decorum, and tries to fathom its changing moods without violating the unwritten code of tribal cosmic parlance.
Mount Kinabalu is not just a physical geologic outcrop, but an iconic and spiritual symbol of the inhabitants of the Land Below the Wind. It is recognised as a Unesco Heritage Site with its rich and diverse flora and fauna, an ecological wonderland.
It is imperative that we preserve and enjoy its natural habitats and attributes, and comprehend its changing moods by way of either scientific or mystical modes.
It does not matter which mode we choose as long as it creates wonderment and sublime awe, and above all, respect for the mountain that would engender preservation of the physical terrain and the attendant lore that have given meaning to the lives of the various tribal communities of Sabah.
Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin,
Penang