TEKAD captures the untold story of Malaysia’s Everest expedition

SHAH ALAM - The summit may be where the photograph is taken, but the real story of Everestbegins long before a climber reaches the top.

For more than 40 days at Everest Base Camp, two Malaysians faced freezing temperatures, health complications, unpredictable weather and one of the most dangerous sections of the mountain, known asthe Khumbu Icefall.

Their journey, including the triumph of reaching new heights and the disappointment of falling short of the ultimate goal, has now been captured in TEKAD: 2026 Guthrie Everest Expedition, a documentary supported by SD Guthrie as the main sponsor of Malaysia’s 2026 Everest Expedition.

The documentary offers audiences a look beyond the achievement itself, focusing on the determination, sacrifice and resilience required to take on the world's highest peak.

Produced by Rack Focus Films and Red Communications, and directed by acclaimed Malaysian documentary filmmaker Ahmad Yazid, TEKAD follows the expedition from the Himalayas, capturing not only the climbers' pursuit of the summit but also the challenges faced by the production crew documenting their journey.

For SD Guthrie, its involvement goes beyond putting its name behind an expedition.

Its support enabled the remarkable journey to be documented and brought to audiences nationwide, turning an expedition that might otherwise have been reduced to a summit photograph into a story about the people, struggles and sacrifices behind it.

Guthrie President and Group Chief Executive Officer Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad said the expedition demonstrated what could be achieved when determination, resilience and purpose came together.

He said the documentary allows Malaysians to see not only the team's triumphs but also the discipline, perseverance and sacrifices that defined the undertaking.

That human element is perhaps most evident through the contrasting journeys of the documentary's two climbersMohd Khafiz Bachok, 47, better known as Kicok, and Chew Wei Ngor, 56, known as Margaret.

Kicok's Everest attempt became a battle against deteriorating health and unpredictable weather.

At Base Camp, approximately 5,300 metres above sea level, temperatures approached minus 25°C, while winds reached up to 40 kilometres per hour.

The expedition also brought the constant uncertainty of mountain conditions, with the climbers having to navigate the notoriously unstable Khumbu Icefall on their route towards the summit.

Yet Kicok continued.

His final ascent lasted approximately 12 hours before he finallyreached the summit of Mount Everest.

Margaret's journey tells a different story of perseverance.

She successfully reached Camp 4 at approximately 8,000mabove sea level, putting her within sight of the summit.

But severe congestion along the route forced her to halt her ascent, preventing her from making her final attempt at the peak.

Her journey serves as a reminder that an Everest expedition cannot simply be measured by whether a climber reaches the summit.

Sometimes, getting as far as the body, weather and circumstances allow can be an achievement in itself.

The documentary also captures the risks faced by those behind the cameras.

Filming across the Himalayan mountain range meant the production crew had to contend with extreme weather, health risks and demanding terrain while documenting the expedition.

Director of Photography Marwan Murshid was among those responsible for bringing viewers closer to the realities of high-altitude climbing.

For audiences, that means TEKAD offers something that a conventional expedition report may not,a chance to experience the uncertainty behind the headlines and the human stories behind the achievement.

For SD Guthrie, it provides a platform to share a Malaysian story rooted not simply in reaching the world's highest point, but in the values required to keep going when the odds are stacked against you.

The company hopes the documentary will encourage Malaysians, particularly the younger generation, to pursue their ambitions with courage and unwavering resolve.

TEKAD asks audiences to look beyond the summit because Everest is not only about who makes it to the top. It is also about everythingand everyoneit takes to get there.

TEKAD: 2026 Guthrie Everest Expedition premieres on Astro Channel 100 on Sept13 at 8pm, in conjunction with Malaysia's Independence Day and Malaysia Day celebrations.