KOTA KINABALU: A grandfather is hoping to walk his way into the Guinness Book of Records with a 342km trek from Sandakan to the state capital – backwards.
Edward Tanning, 48, also known as Gostaning after he walked backwards up Mount Kinabalu 17 years ago, will start from the town field in Sandakan on Sept 26 and end in Kota Kinabalu on Oct 10.
Edward Tanning “Gostan” is the colloquial word for “reverse”.
The vegetable farmer and rubber tapper, who has been semi-paralysed since birth and still walks with a pronounced limp, hopes to raise RM500,000 for Seri Mengasih school for the disabled with his shot at the longest walk by a handicapped person.
“I will be walking 26km a day from 4am until 4pm. My only worry is getting cramps. That would slow me down,” said Tanning.
He said he would be consuming at least six litres of water each day and snacking on cucumbers to keep him cool and hydrated, apart from his three regular meals.
Tanning, who has four children aged between seven and 26, said although he had been walking regularly for 10 years, he had intensified his training over the past three months.
“I’ve been walking forwards and backwards for at least two hours in the morning and evening every day at my village in Kampung Montub in Kiulu,” he said.
State Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said Tanning’s attempt could serve as a message for both ordinary and disabled people.
“It is a message to people that they can achieve anything they want with determination,” she said after presenting Seri Mengasih with a RM35,000 contribution to fund the walk here yesterday.
She urged those living along the route and passing motorists to give their support to Tanning in his attempt.
Azizah also called on companies and individuals to chip in and help Seri Mengasih train the disabled for jobs.
“Even a contribution of RM1 or RM2 will help Seri Mengasih provide skills training to the disabled,” she said.
Seri Mengasih board chairman Datuk Mohd Safari Manan said the centre needed about RM500,000 yearly to train some 130 full-time and 100 part-time students.
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