TAPAH – A 49-year-old female hiker who was reported missing during a mountain expedition in Perak has been found safe after spending 15 days in the wilderness.
Jaslinda Saludin, who went missing on May 23 while taking part in a hiking expedition at Gunung Batu Putih, was discovered on Saturday in Kampung Lubuk Gaharu near Pos Musoh. Her discovery brought relief to family members, rescuers, and the public who had closely followed the case since she was reported missing.
According to authorities, Jaslinda was found by members of the local Orang Asli community. The villagers later informed the authorities about her whereabouts, leading to the successful conclusion of the search effort.
Perak Police Chief, Datuk Alwi Zainal Abidin, confirmed that Jaslinda had been found safe and said an official statement regarding the incident would be released.
Prior to the confirmation, a photograph believed to show Jaslinda at a community house in the area had circulated widely on social media, sparking hope that the missing hiker had been located.
Meanwhile, Perak Fire and Rescue Department Director, Datuk Sayani Saidon, said Jaslinda was found by a resident identified as Nazri a/l Bah Eng at approximately 3pm.
After discovering the woman, the resident informed his nephew, who was in Johor, to lodge a report with the authorities. The information was then relayed to the relevant agencies for further action.
Datuk Sayani said Jaslinda is currently safe and staying temporarily at the Tok Batin’s house in Kampung Lubuk Gaharu while authorities carry out the necessary procedures and assessments.
Jaslinda had joined the Trans Spencer Chapman hiking expedition together with 13 other participants and two mountain guides. The group began their journey at 2am on May 23, following the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route.
During the expedition, Jaslinda and another participant, Mohd Hanafi Neikmad, reportedly experienced health issues and decided to withdraw from the main group. However, Jaslinda later continued the journey on her own towards the mountain summit.
She was last seen by one of the mountain guides at about 7.30am on May 24 before she was reported missing, triggering an extensive search and rescue operation involving multiple agencies and local communities.
The successful discovery of Jaslinda highlights the important role played by the Orang Asli community in assisting authorities during search operations in remote jungle areas. It also brings a positive end to a case that had attracted nationwide attention over the past two weeks.
Authorities are expected to conduct further checks on Jaslinda’s condition and gather additional information regarding her experience while missing in the jungle.
