KUALA LUMPUR: The Fire and Rescue Department Airborne Special Team is preparing to scale the summit of Mount Everest as part of the "Projek Pendakian Amal Bomba de Everest 'Mencari Hati Emas' 2025".
Senior Fire Officer II Mohd Fakhrul Munir Mohd Isa said the project aims to raise funds for firefighters who have been injured or lost their lives in the line of duty.
In a statement, he said the project was not only a fundraising effort but also a symbolic mission to elevate the status of Malaysian uniformed services on the global stage.
"This climb to the summit of a mountain standing 8,848 meters above sea level is my idea.
"It was inspired by a solo cycling project in 2020, which covered 2,400km and involved visiting 105 fire and rescue stations across Peninsular Malaysia.
"This project, which has received full support and approval from the Fire and Rescue Department, aims to assist those who have been injured or lost their lives in the line of duty, as well as those still in service."
Fakhrul said he had already received the green light from the department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
Organised by Kelab Kembara Kosmopolitan in collaboration with Summit Attack Resources, the project has garnered support from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff, among others, including business leaders.
Fakhrul, who will be taking unpaid leave for the expedition, noted that the project would not rely on public donations or government funds.
Instead, he initiated a charity sale of special edition one-kilogram fire extinguishers, along with exclusive merchandise such as T-shirts and durable caps to raise funds.
He said that the fire extinguishers are priced at RM139 each, while the T-shirts and caps are available for RM59 and RM39, respectively.
A combo package of all three items is also available for RM199 and can be purchased online.
"One of the main objectives of this charity sale is to educate the public on the importance of being aware and prepared with fire extinguishers.
"It is intended to control fires to reduce the statistics as much as possible, whether involving homes, offices, or vehicles," Fakhrul added.