Youths celebrate national month with hiking activity

TANAH MERAH, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Love for the country can be expressed in different and creative ways, on top of flying the Jalur Gemilang, such as by carrying out outdoor activities to inculcate the spirit of patriotism.

With that in mind, a group of youths in Tanah Merah decided to do something different to celebrate the National Day on Aug 31, by hiking the Bukit Panau, a popular climbing spot among the locals here.

One of them, Mohd Amirul Amin Haron, 22, who is also Kampung Padang Siam youth football team captain, said the idea to hike Bukit Panau was mooted with some friends as they aimed at adding more cheer to the National Day celebration.

“If previously, we used to take part in motorcycle convoy to enliven the national month but this time around we decided to do something different, to go for hiking to Bukit Panau.

“With this hiking activity we are able to learn more of the Bukit Panau’s history which is said to have kept events of the past that can have an impact in instilling the love for the country’s treasure that need to be preserved by the community,” he told Bernama during the Bukit Panau hiking here, yesterday.

Mohd Amirul said once hikers reached the peak of Bukit Panau, about 255 metres above the sea level,  they would be able to see the beauty and the tranquility of its surrounding area.

“Malaysians should feel grateful as they can still enjoy the country’s natural beauty, to visit any historical sites and treasures at any time as the result of peace, national unity achieved today compared to some other countries facing the chaos of civil war and so on,” he said.

Meanwhile, another hiker, Nor Azliza Ghazali, 35, said she and her family members were using the hiking activity to give exposure to the young children of some of the historical events said to have taken place at Bukit Panau including stories related to warrior Hang Tuah.

For Suhaimi Sidik, 28, he was of the view that high self-esteem, gratitude and respect for one another should be inculcated in the community through various activities to maintain the country’s existing peace and prosperity.

“And this hiking is not only good for one’s health, but it also contributes to unity of the community to jointly preserve the prosperity of the country.

Based on stories shared by the locals, Bukit Panau, located on the border of Pasir Mas-Tanah Merah, was once used as a landmark by foreign seafarers sailing in the South China Sea and the hill was also associated with Hang Tuah as the location that he used for his meditation.

-- BERNAMA