Marketing stunt soars as porter carries chicken plush mascot up Mount Kinabalu

By Olivia Miwil

olivia@nst.com.my

RANAU: At 27 years old, Jvy Mius has carried various loads along the steep and rocky trails of Southeast Asia's highest peak. As a porter at Mount Kinabalu for six years, he described his recent task of carrying a gigantic chicken mascot as one of his most unforgettable experiences.

Jvy was hired by a local restaurant, Borenos, to bring the mascot on a return trip to Mount Kinabalu. The journey from Timpohon Gate to Panalaban and back covers about 12 kilometers. He accepted the task, saying, “It was very light, only about 20 kilograms.” Jvy, who is also a social media influencer, appeared dwarfed by the brightly colored mascot, which was at least three times his size. The marketing stunt worked well for the restaurant. As of press time, the number of views on Facebook was “When people saw me, they would talk to me and take pictures with the mascot,” said the social media influencer who has 344,600 followers on his TikTok account @jvy_tenangisgood Jvy has been featured in the news several times for sharing the daily realities of porters’ jobs through his social media. Usually, they carried items for the restaurant and accommodation at Panalaban, construction materials, and even bags for climbers. Occasionally, the trail runner would also assist in carrying injured climbers.