Eight blind Malaysian men and women will embark on a 10-day expedition to conquer Mt Tahan - the highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia - on Sunday.

This trek, organised by the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), will be the first of its kind and its participants are aiming for a place in the Malaysian Book of Records.

The expedition is geared towards highlighting the capabilities and achievements of members of the visually impaired community.

They aim to reach the summit of Mt Tahan on Aug 31, and will fly the national flag there to commemorate Malaysia's independence.

"This will be the contribution of the blind community to the 50th Merdeka celebrations," explains MAB director George Thomas ( left ).

High-risk situation

Gunung Tahan, renowned as one of the toughest climbs in Southeast Asia, is an arduous week-long journey even for sighted people.

The eight blind climbers - two women and six men - were shortlisted from a list of 40 potential candidates, undergoing a rigorous selection process to ensure that they were of an appropriate physical and mental standard.

"Because of the difficulty of the climb, they must have very high endurance and fitness levels. Also, they must have a strong mindset as this mission will present tough emotional and mental challenges," explained George.

Prior to this, the climbers had undergone training on various mountains around Malaysia, such as Gunung Nuang and Gunung Ledang.

Each blind climber will be accompanied by a sighted volunteer escort with experience in mountain trekking.

The team also includes five official guides from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Kuala Tahan, as well as a videographer who will record the expedition.

"However, even with the escorts it will still be difficult, as what suits them may not suit us when it comes to climbing. It is a high-risk situation," said Siti Nuraizah Roslan, a 24-year-old member of the team who is fully blind.

Three members of the team are fully blind, whilst the other five are partially sighted. Their ages range from 21 to 29.

Overcoming challenges

The atmosphere in the MAB Complex in Kuala Lumpur was both excited and determined as team members prepared their gear for the expedition.

"I want to prove to the rest of Malaysia that blind people are just as capable as everyone else. Society still has a limited mentality when it comes to accepting members of the disabled community," said Siti.

For Mohamad Fairuz Abdullah ( left ), MAB sports and education head, the climb represents the culmination of the Malaysian blind community's achievements over the past 50 years.

"We have come such a long way since Merdeka in terms of facing challenges in education, employment, and other opportunities."

"This is our way of giving thanks to the nation for supporting us this far, and it mirrors the difficult journey that we have experienced overcoming the obstacles and hardships of disability," he said.

However, many challenges remain ahead for members of the blind community in Malaysia.

"The issues ahead are as high as Mt Everest. Maybe one day when we have achieved everything, then we can try to climb that mountain," said Mohamad Fairuz wistfully.

Watch the 2-minute video here.