FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan
CHAPTER 4: TOURISM AT GSSP
4.1 Baha Adventure Team (BAT)
Prior to 1986, GSSP was only accessible by rail and a logging track, and locals were more
interested in clearing land for agriculture, or working as road construction crews or in logging
gangs. It was also sometime in 1986, that a retired special forces officer, a Major Yusoff,
operated an outdoor recreation outfit (ROKA), and brought some of his charges here as part
of a training course jointly collaborated with the then Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Sports.
By word of mouth, the fame of GSSP spread throughout the outdoor recreation community in
Kelantan (who welcomed the inconveniences as part of the challenge of the wilderness
experience that would have deterred less intrepid travelers), who camped, and made forays to
the mountain summits there.
In time, a local from Kg. Jelawang, Borhanuddin (Baha), joined these groups and, deciding to
become a guide, spent his spare time exploring the mountains, trailblazing, and guiding
visitors to the summits. As a pioneer in eco-tourism, he became synonymous with GSSP.
By 1987, the Jeli-Dabong state road was completed, and as GSSP became more accessible,
and as visitor numbers increased, he decided to construct some huts above the waterfall (Baha
Camp), a popular site for campers watching the rising sun. Ten huts and a kitchen were
constructed in 1992, and this attracted foreign visitors who stayed at the Baha Camp for a few
days a time, although the peaks were more popular with local hikers and Singaporeans. The
decision for the guides to stay at Baha Camp is partly for safety concerns: campers like to
linger at the edge of the waterfall, and if un-monitored and unsupervised, may plunge down
the steep fall. The guides also play a role in monitoring rubbish dumping along trails, and
prevent illegal plant collecting by climbers.
The huts are rented out at RM10 per head, plus free use of kitchen facilities, while the fee for
the camp site is for RM2-3 per night per person. After 1994, a few locals decided to become
guides and joined Baha, taking visitors to the peaks at the rate of RM70 per guide per day, for
a group of 12 per guide. To further improve professionalism, in 1997, the guides, on their
own initiative, undertook the nature guiding courses certified by the then Ministry of Culture
Arts and Tourism. To-date, there are already three batches that have undergone such courses
with the most recent from 28.5.05 to 12.6.05 at Gua Musang, organised by KESEDAR.
Termed BAT (Baha Adventure Team), the guides are responsible for taking visitors to the
various summits within GSSP, ensuring the trails and summits remain rubbish free, and are
responsible for rescue work.
Baha died in 2002; nevertheless, his legacy is carried on: BAT is now managed by three of
his sons assisted by several others who were part of the original team. As further recognition
of their work, two of the guides have been invited to become trainers for the three month-long
National Service Program for secondary school-leavers. The current members of BAT are
listed in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1: List of Guides in BAT
No Name I.C. Guiding Permit No.
1 Mohd. Odie b. Borhanuddin 821127-03-5859 TG 6088
2 Zulkifli Ibrahim 770702-03-5955
3 Shaharunshah b. Ibrahim 820208-03-5899
4 Nik Rosli b. Nik Hassan 750601-03-6475 TG 6090
5 Mohd Zaki b. Ab. Kadir 750414-03-5637
6 Mohd Adzhar b. Mat Razali 791111-03-5307 TG 6085
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