Sabah quake tragedy

[Raymondism]

 

The online version has been corrected just moments ago.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/06/sabah-quake-final-death-tally-19/

 

The figure "10" has been removed from the previous report. However the sentence still implies more than 1 casualties - "those killed were students of Tanjong Katong Primary School"

I was hoping.... sigh

[Othello]

Saw a pic on FB showing bodies on the bottom of a mountain. Saw some bodies wearing distinctive red t shirts... worn by some TKPS pupils.

Being a parent, my heart sank....

 

:~(

 

 

 

very very sad......

[Icedbs]

Seriously, does mountain climbing to the highest peak of SEA sounds like an activity for primary kids? Perhaps secondary schools kids, but primary kids?

 

Often, for KK, people start the climb at 2am-3am, and that is normally the time when most primary school kids are deep asleep. I bet most of the them started the climb with their mind still zzzzzz........

 

So where is that risk assessment?

Edited June 6, 2015 by Icedbs

[Pocus]

Seriously, does mountain climbing to the highest peak of SEA sounds like an activity for primary kids? Perhaps secondary schools kids, but primary kids?

 

Often, for KK, people start the climb at 2am-3am, and that is normally the time when most primary school kids are deep asleep. I bet most of the them started the climb with their mind still zzzzzz........

 

So where is that risk assessment?

 

Let's not speculate their fatique level and the state of their mind here.

We are talking about an earthquake here and rocks falling, not an accident where someone slipped due to carelessness.

 

Anyway, let's keep our emotions in check and pray for the best.

 

Meanwhile, RIP to the deceased.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Pocus

[Vroomtattat]

Seriously, does mountain climbing to the highest peak of SEA sounds like an activity for primary kids? Perhaps secondary schools kids, but primary kids?

 

Often, for KK, people start the climb at 2am-3am, and that is normally the time when most primary school kids are deep asleep. I bet most of the them started the climb with their mind still zzzzzz........

 

So where is that risk assessment?

Agree.

[Benarsenal]

Honestly, I don't see any need to pin blame. It just looks like one of those things that is highly unexpected.

 

It's the same as natural disaster striking Singapore. Super duper unlikely to happen but if it does there really is nothing we can do.

[Nlatio]

I am absolutely lost for words... ... :dizzy:

 

Sabah's Deputy Chief Minister said the earthquake, which has claimed 11 lives so far, was a result of the tourists who stripped naked near Mount Kinabalu's summit last month.

He called for them to be brought to a native court to be charged. http://str.sg/UbA

 

So now the prick must ask the coconut man to come and wayang..... wtf....

[Icemaiden]

That is the problem with the parents. They put achievement and glory above everything else, i.e. the safety of their children. The post is about how the son try to become a "prefect" and it must such an "honour" to be chosen no parents will dare to say no. And this case, the son felt unwell and still went up probably due to peer pressure and pride - luckily nothing happened. And at the end of the day, these parents went around thinking their children will be leaders and way superior to others who were deprived going on such exotic trips. My son climb Mt KK at 11 years old. Yours didn't. Nuff said.

 

Not climbing Mt KK at 11 or 12 years old will NOT make anyone a lesser person or a lesser leader. That is why some parents must learn to say no to their kids. I am sure there are some parents who dared to say no for this trip. An 11 year old has many years ahead of him to do risky things if that is his "passion" - when he is old enough to make his own decision and climb his own mountain. And Mt. KK is not a walk in a park - other than earthquakes, slippery slopes, fatigue, AMS, hypothemia can take casualties too. And these affect children more than adults. Let kids be kids and there is nothing wrong with running around in a park or playing hide and seek at home.

 

And guess what? I suspect many of these parents haven't even scaled Mt KK themselves and yet put their 11 year old there without their presence.

 

This post came in fr fb. An excellent balanced post for the naysayers.

 

Again, I reiterate, while the emotions are high. Kindly see perspective.

 

 

 

It is with a very heavy heart as I write this.

My younger son graduated from Tanjong Katong Primary School last year. And yes, he was among the privileged group of leaders selected for the Omega Challenge Mt K Expedition last year. It is a trip for selected leaders from the various CCAs in school for the graduating batch and the school has been running the programme for years.

It is a simple trip, go to KK, stay a night. Climb Mt K, stay at Pendant Hut. Go Via Ferrata for some fun but challenging activities, go back Pendant Hut to rest. Next morning do summit climb, descend the mountain, stay a night. Home sweet home. No sight seeing, no shopping, no luxurious hotels, no great food. Yet my son had set his heart for the trip for years and actually consciously worked for it by getting into the school prefectorial board.

Prior to the trip, the school scheduled for training sessions which included serious stairs climbing. Students were also encouraged to do their own training daily which many enthusiastically did.

 

What did the students learned from such a trip? They learned to be prepared by building up their physical. They learned to look out for each other and cheered each other on when the going gets tough. They learned that they could have an enjoyable afternoon without mobile phones, iPads and other electronic gadgets by just chilling and playing board games with friends. They learned to make their own decisions, my boy did not feel too well when he reached Pendant Hut and he decided to forgo the next morning's Via Ferrata's activity so that he could be fully rested and ready for the summit climb the following day. He made the decision on his own, we only knew about it when he came back and recounted to us. They learned to accept setbacks, the whole team did not make it to the summit as the weather was unfavourable and the teacher made a decision to halt the climb. Some cried at the moment. So did they come back depressed and disappointed? No, they came back in high spirits for they had been through a valuable experience.

 

Does the school have the full support of parents for this programme? I can't speak for others, but they have mine.

 

Would the school have the courage to continue with programmes that is beneficial for students after this incident? I do hope so.

Why am I writing this now? I just feel that at times like this when many families are still anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones, if we cannot say or do anything positive, let's at least not make things worse.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2015 by Icemaiden

[Joseph22]

Frankly speaking non of us have any right to say anything except the parents whose children have been there.

That is the problem with the parents. They put achievement and glory above everything else, i.e. the safety of their children. The post is about how the son try to become a "prefect" and it must such an "honour" to be chosen no parents will dare to say no. And this case, the son felt unwell and still went up probably due to peer pressure and pride - luckily nothing happened. And at the end of the day, these parents went around thinking their children will be leaders and way superior to others who were deprived going on such exotic trips. My son climb Mt KK at 11 years old. Yours didn't. Nuff said.

 

Not climbing Mt KK at 11 or 12 years old will NOT make anyone a lesser person or a lesser leader. That is why some parents must learn to say no to their kids. I am sure there are some parents who dared to say no for this trip. An 11 year old has many years ahead of him to do risky things if that is his "passion" - when he is old enough to make his own decision and climb his own mountain. And Mt. KK is not a walk in a park - other than earthquakes, slippery slopes, fatigue, AMS, hypothemia can take casualties too. And these affect children more than adults. Let kids be kids and there is nothing wrong with running around in a park or playing hide and seek at home.

 

 

[Buckrogers]

Rip to the little girl who passed on.

My heart sank when i got the news. :(

[BobbyTan_74287]

This post came in fr fb. An excellent balanced post for the naysayers.

 

Again, I reiterate, while the emotions are high. Kindly see perspective.

 

 

 

It is with a very heavy heart as I write this.

My younger son graduated from Tanjong Katong Primary School last year. And yes, he was among the privileged group of leaders selected for the Omega Challenge Mt K Expedition last year. It is a trip for selected leaders from the various CCAs in school for the graduating batch and the school has been running the programme for years.

It is a simple trip, go to KK, stay a night. Climb Mt K, stay at Pendant Hut. Go Via Ferrata for some fun but challenging activities, go back Pendant Hut to rest. Next morning do summit climb, descend the mountain, stay a night. Home sweet home. No sight seeing, no shopping, no luxurious hotels, no great food. Yet my son had set his heart for the trip for years and actually consciously worked for it by getting into the school prefectorial board.

Prior to the trip, the school scheduled for training sessions which included serious stairs climbing. Students were also encouraged to do their own training daily which many enthusiastically did.

 

What did the students learned from such a trip? They learned to be prepared by building up their physical. They learned to look out for each other and cheered each other on when the going gets tough. They learned that they could have an enjoyable afternoon without mobile phones, iPads and other electronic gadgets by just chilling and playing board games with friends. They learned to make their own decisions, my boy did not feel too well when he reached Pendant Hut and he decided to forgo the next morning's Via Ferrata's activity so that he could be fully rested and ready for the summit climb the following day. He made the decision on his own, we only knew about it when he came back and recounted to us. They learned to accept setbacks, the whole team did not make it to the summit as the weather was unfavourable and the teacher made a decision to halt the climb. Some cried at the moment. So did they come back depressed and disappointed? No, they came back in high spirits for they had been through a valuable experience.

 

Does the school have the full support of parents for this programme? I can't speak for others, but they have mine.

 

Would the school have the courage to continue with programmes that is beneficial for students after this incident? I do hope so.

Why am I writing this now? I just feel that at times like this when many families are still anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones, if we cannot say or do anything positive, let's at least not make things worse.

 

Thanks for sharing. We parent made decision and decides whether our children should go overseas training or excursion or study. We parent by agreeing also take the risk. We worry but we still think our children should go. This is just a unfortunate event that nobody expected. I just hope that all parent whose children still missing be strong. Let's wait for the good news to come. What I can help is only keep on praying.

[Duckduck]

http://earthquaketrack.com/p/malaysia/sabah/recent

 

sabah has earthquakes literally every yr n probably mth too... yet the schools still arrange such trips for 12yr olds? did the parents know how earthquake prone that place is?

[Wt_know]

cannot base on that la ... on the website ... taipei got 43 and tokyo got 71 earthquakes for the past year

so it's never safe to have simple family holiday in taipei or tokyo? never go to these 2 countries?

 

http://earthquaketrack.com/p/malaysia/sabah/recent

 

sabah has earthquakes literally every yr n probably mth too... yet the schools still arrange such trips for 12yr olds? did the parents know how earthquake prone that place is?

 

Edited June 6, 2015 by Wt_know

[Hubwee]

Really got to salute those Rangers . Understand that that ranger in the above photo died Due to loss of blood while carrying out the rescue ... Frankly not too sure if it's true but just seen a report that he had passed away ...

 

Rest in peace ......

Really got to salute those Rangers . Understand that that ranger in the above photo died Due to loss of blood while carrying out the rescue ... Frankly not too sure if it's true but just seen a report that he had passed away ...

 

Rest in peace ......

[Hubwee]

Ignore my above post , wrong info given .

 

Not the above ranger who died ...

[Coltplussport]

Ignore my above post , wrong info given .

 

Not the above ranger who died ...

Still they risk their life saving someone not their own. Heroes!

[Coltplussport]

That is the problem with the parents. They put achievement and glory above everything else, i.e. the safety of their children. The post is about how the son try to become a "prefect" and it must such an "honour" to be chosen no parents will dare to say no. And this case, the son felt unwell and still went up probably due to peer pressure and pride - luckily nothing happened. And at the end of the day, these parents went around thinking their children will be leaders and way superior to others who were deprived going on such exotic trips. My son climb Mt KK at 11 years old. Yours didn't. Nuff said.

 

Not climbing Mt KK at 11 or 12 years old will NOT make anyone a lesser person or a lesser leader. That is why some parents must learn to say no to their kids. I am sure there are some parents who dared to say no for this trip. An 11 year old has many years ahead of him to do risky things if that is his "passion" - when he is old enough to make his own decision and climb his own mountain. And Mt. KK is not a walk in a park - other than earthquakes, slippery slopes, fatigue, AMS, hypothemia can take casualties too. And these affect children more than adults. Let kids be kids and there is nothing wrong with running around in a park or playing hide and seek at home.

 

And guess what? I suspect many of these parents haven't even scaled Mt KK themselves and yet put their 11 year old there without their presence.

 

 

This kind of things is something so unexpected. And for those parents, it is already heartbreaking, and I wonder why you are here writing all this. You are of course entitled to your own opinion, but this is definitely not the time to say this kind of unsensitive stuff. I believe all parents weigh all factors before making decision.

[Throttle2]

 

very very sad......

Yes, very sad.

Can feel the pain as a parent...

My heart goes out to the families facing this tragedy

Edited June 6, 2015 by Throttle2