KOTA KINABALU: A mountain guide who rescued quake victims last year, and a pastor who cares for dozens of disabled people have been celebrated as local unsung heroes in two short video tributes recently.
Both videos were launched by the Promenade Hotel here in conjunction with Malaysia Day to acknowledge the contributions of exceptional Sabahans.
In a roughly 2-minute clip, Mohd Rizuan Kauhinin, whose picture of piggybacking an injured boy down Mount Kinabalu went viral, recounts that his actions were a natural human instinct, and he wanted to rescue as many victims as possible.
“I am still traumatised by the incident, but if I have to die (on the mountain), then it is fate,” he said in the video, adding that he is still working as a guide to support his family members.
The second honouree, pastor Ginantar Balud, set up Rumah Bakti Harapan in Inanam near here, after he visited a family who had locked their disabled child in a hut behind their house.
The child appeared to be pale and malnourished upon discovery.
Ginantar said in the video that besides providing shelter and protection for the residents, the home also teaches them to learn to be independent.
The hotel is demonstrating its support for the pastor by pledging to channel proceeds from sales of its luggage covers to fund construction of a new building for Rumah Bakti.
Both videos have been posted in the hotel’s Facebook page and Instragram and have received thousands of views as at press time.
Present were Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and the hotel’s general manager, Adrian Ng.
Joniston expressed his gratitude to the hotel for their initiative in producing both videos, which he said would also help promote tourism in Sabah.