Dead mountain guide hailed as hero for trying to help victims

KOTA KINABALU — A mountaineering guide who died while reportedly trying to save other climbers on Mount Kinabalu was hailed as a local hero as he was laid to rest yesterday.

Robbi Sapinggi, 31, was accompanying a tourist down the mountain when the earthquake shook Sabah last Friday. Despite being badly injured by falling rocks and bleeding profusely, he told the tourist to descend Mount Kinabalu as fast as possible while he would try to help others who might be on their way down the steep slope.

“Despite being hit, he instructed the climber to descend first, prioritising the person’s safety before his,” said Ms Lynn Tiang, a colleague of Sapinggi at tour company Amazing Borneo.

Sapinggi is believed to have waited for about five hours before deciding to slide down the rocky slope.

“When the rescue team found him, he was barely alive. He died moments later,” she added.

Hundreds — including local politicians, friends and relatives of Sapinggi — gathered at his home in the Sabah town of Kota Belud yesterday to pay their last respects.

A close relative, who was part of the search and rescue team that found him at about 4pm last Friday, some nine hours after the earthquake occurred, said his body was found about 20m from where they believed he was struck by hurtling rocks.

Describing Sapinggi as a hero, Sabah State Legislative Assembly Speaker Salleh Said Keruak said the state government appreciated what he had done for the tourist under his guidance.

“We will help Robbi’s family any way we can,” Mr Salleh told The Star.

Sapinggi’s heroic exploits have gone viral on the Amazing Borneo Facebook page, with over 34,600 “likes” and 7,600 shares since Friday.

Many described the Sabah local as one who always put the safety and interests of others before his in the 11 years he had been scaling the highest peak in South-east Asia, first as an assistant and in the past two years as a licensed guide.

One Facebook user, Loh Hong Siang, commented that Sapinggi had held her hand for the entire eight-hour hike to the peak. “You will forever be the best mountain guide in my heart. I’ll always be grateful for your kindness and the friendship we had.”

Sapinggi, who leaves behind a wife and six-month-old son, was an avid traveller like many of those he guided up Mount Kinabalu.

His Facebook page featured photographs of him at the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, along with his holidays to many parts of Australia.

Amazing Borneo has set up an online crowdfunding campaign to raise money for Sapinggi’s family.

“Robbi was a man of passion, he loved his job and the people he worked with. He was always joyful and his spirit was contagious,” the company said on the fund-raising website. As of last night, 500 people had pledged US$24,746 (S$33,601), exceeding the US$10,000 targeted by the tour company.

Mr Connor Armstad, who said he is the supervisor of a bird biology team that has been working Mount Kinabalu for the last seven years, was one of those who have stepped forward to help. “Robbi was known and loved by many of us ... We would be honoured to take part.” AGENCIES