Mountain guides to get allowance for three months

More than 150 will benefit during the closure of Mount Kinabalu.

KOTA KINABALU: The Umno Welfare Bureau has agreed to give the monthly allowance for three months to Mount Kinabalu guides who lost their income due to the closure of the mountain following the June 5 earthquake.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun said the allowance would be paid to more than 150 mountain guides for the duration of the closure of the mountain.

“RM800 in monthly allowance will be paid to mountain guides who are active and RM400 to those who are not active,” he said in response to a supplementary question from Wilfred Bumburing (PKR-Tamparuli) in the state assembly sitting today.

He said the mountain was closed for all activities for safety reasons following the earthquake and was expected to be opened again in September.

Before the reopening of Mount Kinabalu, Masidi said the guides would be involved in repair work of the mountain path to provide them with extra income.

He said contributions received by the State Disaster Fund from government agencies and the private sector had also been disbursed to the affected mountain guides.

– BERNAMA