First of all i wish to thank The Star for highlighting the rising cost to climb Mt Kinabalu.
I have climbed Mt Kinabalu twice and was planning to climb again before i saw the article, 500% increase in lodging cost, its a daylight robbery!
I never understand the rationale to privatise Unesco Heritage Site & a wonderful place like Mt Kinabalu. It was reported that Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (SSL) pays an annual resthouse fee of RM 986,000 to Sabah Park in exchange for the handling of lodge operation. At the first glance, it looks like a lot of money before you take out your calculator or abascus. It was reported that the Parks limits 192 people a day to climb the mountain. Since the waiting period is about 4-6 months before you can climb the mountain, we can safely assume that everyday there will be 192 people climbing the mountain. That means if the Park remain charging each person RM 30/night like that they did before the privatisation, it will generate RM 2,102,400 income per year. So its more than double the amount SSL paying the Park now. I might be over optimistic with my figure, so lets be a bit pessimistic and there is only 50% occupancy throughout the year, the amount will come to RM 1,051,200 which is still more than SSL paying the Park Authority??? The big question now is why The Park Authority wanted to privatise a golden egg laying goose for 20 years when they will get more by managing the mountain by themselve?????
According to the Minister in charge, the super expensive package was to discourage block booking by tour operators. Isnt there any other way to stop the operator to do block booking like blacklisting them? By the way, whats wrong with operator doing a block booking if they really have so many customers to cater to? If one operator is more hard working or more creative in promoting the mountain and gets more customers, by all means let them do the block booking, whats wrong with that?. As an operator they would need to know that the lodging is 100% secured before they can confirm the booking with the customers. We as the customer would be extremely angry with the operator who confirmed a booking and then tell us otherwise.
In short:
The privatisation was a mistake!
To privatise it for 20 years was a bigger mistake!
To rely on a private company whose sole intention is to make money to run a national treasure like Mt Kinabalu is even a bigger mistake!
To have a Minister who justified 500% increase in lodging price at Mt Kinabalu by saying that it is still cheaper than other parts of the world ......was the BIGGEST mistake by whoever put him in charge of Mt KK!
If you read the Star, 2 Feb 2009 (pg 12), it said " Talks on reducing cost to climb MT KK". The key word there was 'Talks', so you and i can rest be assured that there will be only talks until the agreement expires or till the next general election!
For now, you better tighten your belt so that you can save enough money to climb a mountain in your own country.
Remember what our Mr Minister said, its still cheaper than other part of the world and you and I should be grateful!!!!!
It looks like No Money, No Climb!
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I totally agree with your views on the absurb cost of climbing Mt. Kinabalu. But your argument is flawed. The 986K Kinabalu Park received from the operator is pure income whereas the 2.1M or 1.05M the Park collects if its run by them are just gross figure without figuring in the maintenance and operation cost of the place. They might be running at a loss at the rate they are charging i.e. RM30/day. In my opinion, the Park should continue to run the place but could raise the rate fairly to ensure sustainability. Definately not to a rate that is as astronomical now. Someone is laughing all the way to the bank now and its not the Park or the climbers. P.s. Dig your photo on pg 12 of the Star.
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