Singaporean calls for help after getting lost on Johor mountain, finds his way out 21 hours later

Most people would think that it's best to stay put after getting lost in the mountains and calling for help.

A Singaporean man, however, ended up hampering rescue efforts by finding his own way out of the forest the next day.

Neo Thiam Ming, 40, lost his way last Saturday (Aug 13) while hiking solo at Gunang Panti Barat in Kota Tinggi, Malaysia.

He dialled 999 for help at around 7.10 pm and authorities deployed a search and rescue team involving local police, fire and rescue department, forestry department as well as civil defence force to look for the lost man.

Neo was still missing as of 2pm the next day and the search was ongoing, Kota Tinggi police said.

Shortly after this announcement, the man found his way out of the forest at about 4.20pm, reported Malaysian news agency Bernama. 

"The victim went down by himself to the air control centre (the entry point location at the foot of the mountain) in a safe condition and was then handed over to the police for further action," a senior fire officer said.

Neo suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He was discharged the same evening. 

But the man is not out of the woods.

The Singaporean has broken Malaysian law by climbing the mountain alone without a guide or a permit, said Johor State Forestry Department director Datuk Salim Aman, adding that authorities will be taking action against Neo.

Those who want to enter the forest or hike must apply for a permit from the department and also get a registered mountain rider service. 

"The personal safety of climbers is important.

"If something like this happens, not only the climbers themselves will be affected but it will also make it difficult for many parties, especially those involved in search and rescue," Salim explained.

Exploring mountains on one's own can be dangerous.

In 2018, two Singaporeans went missing after wandering into a closed trail on Gunung Palai in Malaysia. The pair was found over 40 hours later by a rescue team who spotted them from a helicopter. 

Others were not as fortunate.

In 2016, a Singaporean runner was killed while training solo for a mountain climbathon at Mount Kinabalu.

His body was found in a 150m-deep ravine and it was believed that he had slipped and fallen. 

melissateo@asiaone.com