Climbers Wrote Names on Paper To Commemorate Success on Mt Kinabalu’s Peak, Then Left It There As Rubbish

Hands up if you are quite old and if you used to take Social Studies back in the day.

Image: Tenor

Back then, we learned about environmental tourism and lamented that Singapore was too small and too concrete to have one.

We are still too small, too concrete, more plastic-ky, and hotter, but that hasn’t stopped us from travelling upward to our Northern neighbours in search of some environmental hinterland.

One such destination would be Mount Kinabalu.

Mount Kinabalu

Such a beauty isn’t it?

A pity though, for some people are out to ruin the scenery for the rest.

Image: Go Sabah

If you aren’t aware, “Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Borneo’s Crocker Range and is the highest mountain in the Malay Archipelago as well as the highest mountain in Malaysia”, according to Wikipedia.

It is also ranked as the 20th most prominent mountain in the world and “home to 5,000 and 6,000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammalian species identified” and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

All these accolades and breathtaking view however, don’t count for much, when nature is assailed by the un-ending wave of human thrash.

Yes, some people are human thrashes and they leave thrash.

More Than Footprints left

According to World of BuzzFacebook user Wilson Ls Thaddeus took to the platform to share of his discovery at the mountain top.

Some climbers have been scribbling theirs or their friend’s names on pieces of paper atop the mountain, all for the sake of photography.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

I approve and even applaud an exercise of creativity.

What more if it’s on one of the highest places in the world where we are close to God and Muse alike.

However, instead of removing their thrash in a sensible and expected manner after taking the photos, said climbers have apparently been dumping their thrash on Mount Kinabalu, making it potentially the highest landfill in the world.

Just another accolade locals and Mountain Gods alike would love adding to their growing list of achievements, said no one ever.

To exercise the image of this quite unforgettable thrash, Wilson employed the use another form of art, poetry basically, to spread awareness of this issue.

The caption accompanying his Facebook Post went:

Dear ANGEL ALLEN, TEE QAYRA, VIVIE and MARIANI. whoever you are, we never know if this is a new trend for taking a pictures of your names (or other peoples names) on the mountain, but please bring this going down next time. 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

Don’t just simply leave it up here. To you people out there, if u guys planning to scale the mountain please don’t do this. What’s going up have to going down. Take nothing but photographs, keep nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprint.

Yup, I’m talking about this line here: “Take nothing but photographs, keep nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprint.”

A quick check on his Facebook profile shows that Wilson works at/on Mount Kinabalu.

You can check out his Facebook post here.

And, shame on you Angel, Tee, Vivie and Mariani.

*All images from Wilson Ls Thaddeus’s Facebook, unless otherwise stated.*