KOTA KINABALU • A memorial dedicated to the 18 people who lost their lives in the Mount Kinabalu earthquake will be unveiled a year after the June 5 tragedy last year.

Sabah Parks chairman Tengku Datuk Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahamood said the memorial had been built at the base of the mountain in an area overlooking Kampung Kiau.

The scenic village was home of mountain guide Robbi Sapinggi, who sacrificed his life to keep other climbers safe on that day.

Tengku Adlin said the memorial would be unveiled by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun on June 5.

Some 10 relatives of the Singaporean students who were killed or survived in rock avalanches following the magnitude-6.9 earthquake would be planting trees near the memorial on June 3, he said.

The family members would trek up the mountain the following day.

Seven pupils and two teachers from Singapore's Tanjong Katong Primary School, as well as a Singaporean guide, were killed in the tragedy.

Mr Robbi was among the four mountain guides who lost their lives on that day.

Sabah Parks had closed the mountain for activities until September last year, when the trail to Panalaban at an altitude of 3,314m was reopened.

The first of two trails to the 4,095m Lows Peak summit was reopened on Dec 1.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK