Everest: One Climb, Two Stories
Contrast the ST & Reuters articles...
Malaysians in Singapore team reach Everest peak
Reuters. May 25, 1998.
KATHMANDU, May 25 (Reuters) - Two Malaysian members of a Singaporean expedition on Monday reached the peak of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, the Nepalese Tourism Ministry said. (see Straits Times report below)
The successful climbers were Swee Chiow Khoo, a 33-year-old airline systems analyst, and Edwin Cheok Wai Siew, 28, an outdoor activities instructor.
Both are Malaysian citizens, but residents of Singapore. Only two other Malaysians have ever stood atop the 8,848-metre high (28,028-foot) peak.
The Nepali ministry reported that the two climbers reached the peak early on Monday morning and their agent in Kathmandu said he believed that no one else on their team would attempt to reach the summit.
The eight-member expedition is being led by David Lim, 33, who is also Malaysian.
The Straits Times Report: May 26, 1998
THE Singapore Everest team reached the top of the world yesterday, six days after it aborted its first attempt to do so. Climbers Edwin Siew and Khoo Swee Chiow, and their four Sherpas, reached the 8,848 m-high summit at about 8.30 am (Singapore time).
"Looks like I have reached the vertical end of the earth," Mr Siew, 27, an Outward Bound School instructor, was reported to have said when he reached the peak.
Nicknamed Ultraman for his strength, he and Mr Khoo, 33, a systems analyst, were part of the team who made the first attempt.
The duo left Camp Four (8,000 m) on Sunday at 11.30 pm and made it to the top of the world's highest mountain more than five hours ahead of schedule.
Mr Yip Seck Hong, president of the Singapore Mountaineering Federation, described their endurance as remarkable. "I'm really surprised they made it, because making a second summit attempt is always harder. It's like running two marathons, just a few days apart."
Congratulations have poured in from Singaporeans -- from President Ong Teng Cheong, ministers and members of the public.
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said in his congratulatory message: "Climbing Mount Everest is often used as a metaphor of human endurance, courage and determination to overcome great difficulties to achieve one's highest goal.
"You have, symbolically and literally, shown Singaporeans that with grit, teamwork, careful planning and training, we, individually and collectively as a country, can scale great heights."
He also suggested: "Enjoy the great view from the top". He wished them a safe journey home.
The team had blamed the failure of their first attempt on an American group, which had failed to lay the line to the summit. This, together with strong winds and heavy snowfall, forced them to turn back on May 19.
Team leader David Lim said yesterday that a tactical decision was made to keep the team at Camp Two (6,700m), intead of Base Camp (5,400m). This was so that the climbers would be in a position to move up once clear weather was indicated.
The gambit paid off.
Mr Steven Wong, an expedition committee member here, said the team had made good time, probably because it travelled at night, when the snow was easier to walk on.
There were less expeditions on the slope this time, he said, adding that the duo also carried lighter, smaller oxygen bottles, which helped them move faster. The two men, both Malaysian-born permanent residents here, are expected to reach Base Camp today. The expedition is likely to be home by next week.
REUTERS
THE END
Contributed by Saddam Hus-Inssein
