Malaysian mountaineer Mohd Khafiz Bachok, better known as Kicok, has successfully conquered Mount Everest, fulfilling a dream he had carried for nearly three decades.
The 47-year-old climber reached the world’s highest peak on May 18 at 5.24am with the assistance of experienced sherpa Mingma D Sherpa.
Sharing the emotional achievement on Facebook, Khafiz described himself as the 30th Malaysian to successfully stand atop Everest, a symbolic milestone coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Malaysia’s historic Everest expedition in 1997.
“I am now the 30th Malaysian to reach the summit, in conjunction with 30 years of Everest Malaysia’s success since 1997, when this dream first took root in me,” he wrote.
Khafiz said the achievement marked the culmination of a lifelong journey that began after Malaysia’s Everest success inspired him as a young man.
Despite the harsh and dangerous conditions, he said the expedition continued after passing Camp 3 as climbers could not remain too long at altitudes above 7,000 metres.
According to him, strong winds ranging between 20 and 50 kilometres per hour, coupled with temperatures plunging to minus 40 degrees Celsius, made every step a major challenge.
“By Allah’s grace, we successfully reached the summit,” he said.
Khafiz stressed that he did not climb Everest to prove anything, noting that Malaysians had already long proven their capabilities on the mountain.
His “Road to Everest” journey was carefully planned since 2006, involving years of global climbing experience and physical endurance training through participation in Ironman triathlons.
In 2020, he also embarked on a cycling journey from Tanjung Piai towards Everest to raise funds through his YouTube channel before later shifting focus to Pakistan.
The effort eventually led him to conquer K2, widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous mountain, in 2023, after successfully climbing Mount Manaslu in 2022.
Khafiz revealed that the journey involved immense sacrifice, including selling his home, while relying heavily on support from family and friends to pursue his dream.
He added that the expedition has been documented in collaboration with Rack Focus Film & Red Communication, alongside fellow climber Margaret Chew.
The documentary, titled TEKAD, is expected to premiere during Malaysia’s Independence Month this year.
Meanwhile, expedition organiser Altipro Adventures described the successful climb as the company’s first Everest season, achieved after months of altitude adaptation, route planning and close teamwork in the Himalayan mountain range.
The company said the success marks the beginning of its high-altitude expedition journey focused on safety, teamwork and determination.
