TAPAH, June 8 — A missing hiker who survived 14 days alone in the forests of Gunung Batu Putih not only endured the ordeal by staying close to water sources, but also found a handwritten rescue note a day before she was finally discovered.
Jaslinda Saludin, 49, was found weak but alive near Kampung Lubuk Gaharu, Pos Musoh, at about 5 pm on Friday by an Orang Asli villager after being reported missing since May 23.
Perak Health director Datuk Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha said Jaslinda's condition was stable and she remained under observation at Tapah Hospital.
He said she had also undergone a computed tomography (CT) scan at Teluk Intan Hospital early on Saturday morning.
“Initial examinations found that the victim did not suffer any serious injuries. However, she still requires close monitoring and further tests to ensure her recovery progresses well,” he told Bernama.
According to Assistant Director of Operations at the Perak Fire and Rescue Department, Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad, Jaslinda discovered a note left behind by the search and rescue (SAR) team at Kem Air Busuk on June 5, a day before she was found.
The note had been written by Forestry Mountain Guide Hafis during a search operation at the location on May 30.
“Jaslinda only arrived at the area on June 5,” he said in a statement.
She later brought the note out of the forest and showed it to rescuers after she was found.
The brief message read:
“Kak Jas, please stay in one place. Many people are searching for you.”
Meanwhile, Tok Batin of Kampung Lubuk Gaharu, Mohd Asmadi Abdullah, 63, shared details of his conversation with Jaslinda following her rescue.
According to him, the woman recounted hearing voices calling her name and the sound of whistles while she was alone in the forest, leading her to believe that other people were nearby.
“She said she heard someone calling her name and felt happy because she thought people were there. But when she looked around, there was no one.
“She also heard what sounded like whistles, but did not see anyone. Even so, she felt as though there were many people in the area,” he said in a video that has since gone viral on social media.
Mohd Asmadi said he was deeply moved by her account of surviving alone in the forest.
Based on her recollection, he believes Jaslinda spent much of her time moving along areas near water sources as she struggled to survive.
He said she may have followed the Sungai Air Tawar route, about 10 km from Kampung Lubuk Gaharu, before eventually reaching the village.
According to Mohd Asmadi, the route to Gunung Batu Putih is familiar to local villagers and typically takes about three hours to complete.
“From here, Gunung Batu Putih is not far away. Villagers who start climbing at 8 am can usually reach it by about 11 am.
“For outsiders, the situation is certainly different, especially when they are weak and exhausted, which slows the journey,” he said.
He described Jaslinda’s ability to survive for more than two weeks in the forest as extraordinary.
Her disappearance and eventual rescue after 14 days in the wilderness captured the attention of Malaysians nationwide, many of whom closely followed the search operation from its first day.
Jaslinda was reported missing while taking part in the Trans Spencer Chapman expedition on May 23 via the Pos Gedung-Gunung Bah Gading-Gunung Batu Putih-Kuala Woh route with 13 other hikers and two Forestry Mountain Guides.
Before she went missing, Jaslinda and another participant, Mohd Hanafi Neikmad, 41, were reported to have experienced health problems and stopped from continuing the journey with the group.
However, she is believed to have continued towards the summit and was last seen by a Forestry Mountain Guide at about 7.30 am on May 24.
Police are expected to record her statement once her condition has stabilised.
