For Julaimin Kamin, escorting very very important persons (VVIP) to the summit of Mount Kinabalu is common, but not when the person is a septuagenarian with a history of spinal injuries.
The Sabah Parks ranger was by the side of 73-year-old Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan during his recent climb to the peak.
Kitingan and his entourage of 50 people scaled the mountain as part of the month-long Harvest celebration to promote the Jom Sihat programme and cultural costumes.
"I was informed three days ahead that I was assigned to accompany Datuk Dr Jeffrey's climb on May 6. At that time, I was fine with it as escorting VVIPs is part of our duty. I thought he was in his 60s, but was surprised when I found out during the registration that he is actually 73 and was previously involved in a bad car accident," he told the New Straits Times.
During the two-day climb, Julaimin, along with four other Sabah Parks rangers and six Mountain Search and Rescue personnel, stayed close to Kitingan to ensure his safety.
However, Julaimin who was keeping time at every 500m, said the deputy chief minister had a good pace.
"It was only when we descended that Datuk Dr Jeffrey said he was tired and we rested at the huts.
"His determination is admirable and he sets an example to others including youngsters to climb Mount Kinabalu," he said, adding that the Tambunan assemblyman was humble, easy-going and did not mind entertaining requests from other climbers for pictures.
Having been with Sabah Parks here since 2001, Julaimin said among the VVIPs that he had escorted were former information minister Tan Sri Khalid Yunus; former youth and sport minister Khairy Jamaluddin; former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Ismail Omar; former Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamzah Talib; and Johor's Tunku Mariam Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar.