Eight main climbers and five support climbers, all natives of Terengganu, will take up the national challenge to climb Mount Everest in the second quarter of 2015.  

The expedition, Terengganu De Everest 2015, is organised by non-governmental organisation Persatuan Kembara Negara and sponsored by the state government with an allocation of RM1 million.   

Menteri Besar Ahmad Said, who introduced the climbers in Kuala Terengganu today, said they would be led by its president Khalid Yunus, who was the former deputy information minister.  

He will be assisted by head coach Mohd Rafi Kori who summited the roof of the world during the Merdeka de’ Everest climb in 2007.  

“We are sponsoring a part of the overall cost of the climb and I believe no other state government is willing to do such a thing. And of course we want them to achieve individual success and at the same time make the state proud,” he said after presenting a mock cheque and Terengganu flag to Khalid.   

Ahmad said the expedition which is also in collaboration with the Terengganu Sports Council is fully supported by the federal government.   

The expedition is scheduled to set off from Kathmandu, Nepal in mid-March and expected to end in May 2015 depending on the weather and conditions.  

The eight climbers are teacher Mohd Redzauddin Ismail, Mohd Anuar Mohd (cook), Mashelmie Sidik (Tati College instructor), Mohd Izzat Ilman Zahari (businessman), Ahmad Saharudin Abdullah (self-employed), Mohd Azhari Abdul Wahab (health clinic, driver) and two women Nor Asma Fadzila Mansor (clerk) and Wahida Amalin Masngun (UiTM student).

The support climbers are Mohd Hanif Mat Rasat (UiTM student), Hisyam Mari Zawawi (UPM student), Tengku Ahmad Sufian Tengku Ibrahim (admin assistant), Ahmad Shaifuddin Ahmad Sharif (UiTM student) and Fauzi Jaafar (dental technician).  

They are all between 20 and 42 years old.  

Meanwhile, Khalid said the main climbers would be leaving tomorrow for an 18-day stamina training to climb Mount Annapurna in Nepal.   

“After Annapurna, they will climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in June, Mount Elbrus, Russia in August and return to summit Mount Kinabalu this November. And in January next year they will climb Mount Aconcagua in Argentina,” he said.  

Mount Everest is the ultimate dream of all climbers as it is the world’s highest summit at 8,848 metres accessible from either the south-eastern crest through Nepal and north west crest through Tibet.  

- Bernama