Beauties on the peak
By Steven Patrick
Ain’t no mountain high enough to keep TV actresses Aishah Illias, Tiz Zaqyah and Sharifah Nadia from getting to the peak for their careers.
Through the pain, fatigue and freezing cold, these young starlets scaled Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Malaysia, and reached the top to stand 4,095m above sea level. For Aishah, 25, the climb was an unexpected conquest.
Most people go to the mountain because they’re on a health kick, but not Aishah whose only exercise routine is a monthly jog. No, the trek was part of acting job for the drama Akasai Dejavu di Kinabalu, which involved several scenes on the mountaintop.
She recalls the climb being the toughest challenge she had ever faced. She slipped three times on the way up but kept on moving with the encouragement of the other actors and the crew. As it turned out, she reached the last pit stop before the peak in five hours, way before anyone else did.
Next to reach the landing plateau was 23-year-old Tiz from the drama series Sofia, and then 29-year-old Dendam star and Akasai Dejavu lead actor Aquasha. But in the end, it was Aquasha who beat everyone and reached the summit first.
“I got to the top first, but Aishah just got scared near the peak. Still she did well. She did come in third after Tiz,” said Aquasha.
When Aishah finally reached the full height of the mountain, she said she relished the panoramic view of the Sabahan wilderness. “It was 2am and my legs were hurting and all hard, but it was worth it. I felt I could do anything,” she said with a triumphant smile.
Aishah, who began acting six months ago and now plays a romantic in Akasai Dejavu, also said that conquering Mount Kinabalu had more to do with being mentally fit rather than being about physical fitness. The entire cast and crew spent two nights up on the mountain.
Meanwhile, supporting actress Sharifah Nadia, formerly of the series Opah, said no one knew what they were getting into when they signed on for the show. “We didn’t think it would be that bad when we started, but as we were climbing, it was raining and freezing, and we were cursing,” she said.
“Thank god we brought a lot of Snickers!”
Images: Aishah Illias
Published: 19th June 2012
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