SEPANG: In the spirit of Merdeka, eight Malaysian hikers are set to conquer Europe's highest peak, Mount Elbrus on Aug 31.
The self-funded expedition, headed by professional hiking trainer, Muhammad Illaham Ishak will see eight determined men embarking on their journey to scale the 5,642m high Mount Elbrus, located in Russia, from Aug 16 to Aug 31.
Special function officer to the Prime Minister, Datuk Rizal Mansor handed over a Jalur Gemilang flag to Muhammad Illaham and his team prior to their departure in KLIA this afternoon.
"I hope they will succeed in their mission and have a safe journey," Rizal told reporters.
"What they're doing is a great motivation for us. They are willing to sacrifice their time, money and family for a greater cause. It's also a good way to promote healthy activities among Malaysian youngsters."
Aside from flying the Malaysian flag high on top of the mountain on Merdeka day, the hikers also aimed to raise RM100,000 for charity organisation Aman Palestin for its humanitarian efforts in war-torn Palestine and Syria.
"We're not just hiking the mountains for our pride. We're also raising funds for Aman Palestine in their quest to provide fresh water supplies to the war victims in Syria and Palestine," said Muhammad Illaham.
Citing extreme Russian weather condition and heavy snow on Mount Elbrus as his team's biggest challenge, Muhammad Illaham added that only experienced hikers were recruited for the project.
"We've trained hard for a year. Some of us have hiked Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro (in Africa) before this. This is my second time hiking Mount Elbrus."
Aged between 30 to 40, the team is made up of professional hikers Mohd Ashaziq Abu Bakar, Zamri Jamingan, Mohd Nizam Aman, Mafeitzeral Mamat, Muhamad Fuad Muhamad, Mazlan Adam and Saiful Adly Wahab.
Each paid USD2,900 (RM 12,700) for the trip.
Organised by Alpine Club Malaysia, the two-week expedition is supported by Yayasan Perdana Ummah and Salute Malaysia.
The programme is held in conjunction with the Negaraku campaign which is aimed at cultivating patriotism, love and loyalty among Malaysians.