Malaysia cracks down on social media hiking trend after jump in numbers needing rescue

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Malaysia’s government is tightening hiking rules nationwide after a social media trend left increasing numbers of adventurers needing to be rescued when they became lost or stranded in remote locations. In the first five months of 2026, Malaysia saw 52 cases of lost hikers, an increase of nearly 30% compared with the same period the previous year, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department told local media. Norimah Abd Karim, who is part of an association of certified forestry mountain guides, said earlier this year that many hikers carry minimal gear to appear like professional trail runners on social media. “There are hikers who focus more on getting interesting content that…

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