(April 10): Family and friends of Malaysian trekker Dennis Lee Thian Poh, who went missing in Nepal five days ago, are hopeful of finding him alive and well, given that he is physically and mentally very strong, a family friend said today.

Lee, who has been missing since April 5, arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal on March 29, and was trekking with a group from the Holiday Tibet Trekking Company.

The 47-year old businessman was believed to have been walking alone ahead of his trekking group and no one noticed him missing until they arrived at their campsite.

But with him missing for five days, the friend, who declined to be named, said there was a sense of urgency in finding Lee.

"His family and friends are all optimistic and positive that we will find him and bring him home.

“He has the physical and mental strength to withstand being lost, but there is a sense of urgency as it is already the fifth day," she said, adding that Lee was believed to have some chocolates and drinking water with him.

She added that Lee's wife, Jennifer Peters, was not a hiker herself, had gone to Nepal with another hiker friend of Lee's, to join search and rescue efforts.

She said that Lee enjoyed trekking and was very experienced, and while he had gone on various trekking trips within Malaysia, he seldom went out of the country due to family commitments.

His two teenage daughters are being looked after by their grandparents in the absence of their parents.

Bernama had reported that Lee was last seen on Sunday in Ghorepani, Myagdi district, about 450km northwest of Kathmandu. – The Malaysian Insider