The body of 52-year-old climber Zahalita Othman, who passed away from breathing problems while climbing Mount Reskit, Kuala Tahan in Pahang last Tuesday, was laid to rest at 2am on Friday at the Felda Sungai Mas Muslim Cemetery in Kota Tinggi.
Families, residents, and close acquaintances of the mother of five were present at the burial.
Luqman Haziq Saharuddin, 25, Zahalita’s third child, expressed his shock at his mother’s sudden death when met at the burial. He mentioned that her interest in mountain climbing only began four or five years ago and that she was a healthy individual with no health issues.
Safiyyah Umairah, 17, the youngest of Zahalita’s children, shared that her mother had prepared food at home before leaving for the climb. Usually, she would leave food for her children to cook, but this time, she cooked the food herself and instructed them to simply heat it up while she was gone. Before departing, she also asked them to pray for her safe return.
Zahalita, who joined a mountain climbing programme to hike Gunung Tahan starting from Feb 1, passed away due to breathing problems. Bad weather, including thick fog and difficulty locating her exact location, hampered the efforts to bring down her body.
However, her remains were successfully airlifted using the Fire and Rescue Department’s helicopter on Thursday (Feb 7). – Bernama
