Malaysia’s government has announced new regulations aimed at reducing hiking-related emergencies and rescue operations across the country. The measures come in response to a significant increase in incidents involving lost or stranded hikers, with the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department reporting 52 cases of lost hikers in the first five months of 2026, representing nearly a 30% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.
Authorities attribute the rise in emergencies partly to the influence of social media trends on hiking practices. Mountain guides and outdoor professionals have noted that some hikers prioritize creating social media content over safety preparedness, often carrying minimal equipment to achieve a particular aesthetic in photographs and videos. This phenomenon has contributed to an overall pattern of underestimation regarding proper preparation and risk assessment.
A notable trend within the hiking community involves “compressed hikes,” which condense traditionally multi-day mountain expeditions into single-day activities or combine ascents and descents that would normally occur over extended periods. Online influencers, sometimes referred to as part of the “hike-tok” movement, have popularized these abbreviated versions of challenging routes. Additionally, achievement-focused approaches like “bagging peaks”—attempting to summit as many mountains as possible—have gained popularity through social media platforms.
The government’s response includes several specific measures. Guides will be made mandatory at 189 designated high-risk locations throughout the country. Pre-climb screening procedures are being strengthened to require health declarations, medical history checks, and proof of insurance coverage. Compressed hiking activities have been banned in many high-risk mountainous regions, with implementation varying by state; some jurisdictions will refuse permit applications for compressed hikes, while others have established minimum multi-day climbing requirements for certain routes.
Deputy Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noy emphasized that reducing rescue operations remains a government priority, citing the substantial financial resources and personnel demands associated with search and rescue missions. Officials have attributed the increase in emergencies to hikers underestimating preparation requirements and being influenced by social media-driven trends.
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