Mount Kinabalu, Sabah (Malaysia), February 16, 2023. Enticed by the beauty at the peak and the
excitement to triumph over their mission to conquer the summit of the popular Mount Kinabalu, 53
Continental employees from all the manufacturing locations in Malaysia, passed the physical
examination and trained since last August for the 2023 Conti Mount Kinabalu Challenge.
Continental in Malaysia consists of 4 manufacturing locations in Malaysia for its businesses in
tyres, automotive electronic components as well as auto mechanical parts and Conti Tech.
Early in the morning on 10 February 2023, the team begun their ascend from Timpohon Gate. It
took about 4 hours for the first group to arrive at Panar Laban. The team had the opportunity to rest
and explore the surroundings before the summit attack.
The journey to the peak was slightly delayed due to torrential rain. This made the hike more
challenging. At 3.30am and in darkness, the team had to brave the tough journey after the bad
weather through slippery, rocky terrains and open space. Some of the climbers experienced
difficulty to complete the ascent with the thinning air and Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). But 41
out of the team victoriously reached the summit at Low’s Peak, 4,095 m (13,435 ft) above sea
level, as the sun started to rise.
“I am so proud of our entire team’s unwavering determination during the hike. The bad weather
and hiking in pitch darkness were challenging, but at the same time exhilarating. I am glad to have
experienced this amazing journey with such passionate team that came together from the various
locations and departments of Continental, supporting each other with encouragement to push
forward. We walked, hike, made decisions and had fun together. The journey tested our passion to
win and showed our spirit for one another!”, said Carlos Cano, Managing Director at Continental
Automotive Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
“The journey felt endless. It demands stamina, endurance, mental fortitude and determination to
complete the journey. But along the way, the view was so breathtaking that all pains were forgotten
and made me want to enjoy the moments with no regrets. All hardships endured were totally worth
it”, said first time mountain climber, Anis Syafiqah Binti Md Fisal, Customer Quality Engineer at
Continental Automotive Components Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
“I am so grateful to my company for organizing this event. Never in a million years would I have
imagined hiking up to the peak of Mount Kinabalu, if not for this opportunity. It was challenging and
nerve wrecking but doing it with the team had made it so fun. I had an amazing time and also got
the chance to meet people from so many other locations and departments of Continental“, said
Tessrina Kaur Dhillon, Finance R2R Manager, at Continental Tyre PJ Sdn Bhd.
“It was my dream come true that I was able to climb Mount Kinabalu. Although I fell short of the
journey to peak, but it was an experience that I will never forget. As we climb higher, the thinning
air makes it harder to breathe. Nevertheless, the journey was most interesting as I notice the
character shift of the forest as we ascend. From admiring stunning lushy tropical forest with
beautiful flora and fauna, the foliage changed to rockier terrains. As we ascend higher the trees
changed to sub-alpines plants and taller trees. Crossing many bridges and streams, we were
suddenly above the clouds, this breathtaking scenery certainly mesmerized me.“, said Zukifli Bin
Kasim, 59, who is the oldest participant from the team, an Engineering Supervisor at Continental
Tyre Alor Setar Sdn Bhd.
10 THINGS MANY PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT MOUNT KINABALU
“We conquered the summit of Mount Kinabalu as we are Stronger Together. The team spirit, the
support and encouragement among the team was the main driver of our success”, said Shahidan
Ahmad Jaberi, SMY Quality Manager from Continental Automotive Components Malaysia Sdn
Bhd, who were among the first to arrive at the peak and witnessed, “The most beautiful sunrise
ever”, he added.
