Blind participants glad they have chance to climb KL Tower

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DESPITE not knowing how the KL Tower looks like, some 60 visually impaired individuals took up the challenge of walking up the 421m telecommunications tower recently.

The participants from the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) scaled the tower from the lobby level to the observation deck in less than an hour.

Retiree Taslim Kosni said he had always wanted to walk up the tower but never had the opportunity to do so.

Huge feat: Radha Krishnan (left), KL Tower general manager Hasdarinar Hassan (second from left) and Abdullah Malim (right) presenting a certificate and a special momento to Taslim who is celebrating his 60th birthday this year.

“It is such a great feeling for us as we have never thought that we would be able to walk up this tower,” he said when met after the challenge organised by MAB to commemorate its 60th anniversary.

Taslim, who coincidentally also turns 60 this year, added that the challenge was a sweet memory for him.

A few weeks back, Taslim hiked up Mount Kinabalu together with a group of individuals with different disabilities.

“It was my second time back at the mountain after my first attempt in 2004,” he said.

Another participant was Siti Huraizah Ruslan, who was the first female to reach the top of the tower. She is also a mountain climber just like Taslim.

Let’s go: About 60 visually impaired individuals helping one another up the tower.

The 28-year-old Kelantanese said her first mountain climb was to Mount Tahan in 2007 to commemorate the country’s 50th National Day.

The public relations assistant attached to MAB said she enjoyed outdoor activities and would go all out to try different sports whenever possible.

Prior to the challenge, Siti and her friends held two practice sessions at Batu Caves.

“I was really excited about the challenge and I could not sleep the night before just thinking about it,” she said.

In the challenge, Siti completed the climb in just 25 minutes.

All participants were awarded medals.

MAB president Prof Datuk Abdullah Malim Baginda said the association chose KL Tower to celebrate the special occasion as it was a symbol of success for the country.

“We also want everyone to know that although the participants are blind, they are all equal in ability,” he said.