Ambassadors / Abang Polar
Meet Abang Polar
ABOUT
Rizal Khalif goes by the name AbangPolar on social media, a name that holds his reputation as the first Malaysian to cross the Arctic tundra from Norway to Sweden by dog sleigh. As a true adventurer, besides being an Arctic explorer, AbangPolar is also a backpacker, rafter, and biker.
Having completed the 300 km Fjallraven Polar expedition in the Arctic on a dog sleigh and being the first Malaysian to do it, Rizal picked up the name "AbangPolar". He was among 19 other participants from around the world selected for the expedition.
The wanderlust in him has also spurred his interest in bike touring. Rizal has rode thousands of miles across South East Asia as well as Mongolia on his bike.
Of course, as an outdoor enthusiast, Rizal enjoys travelling. But what sets him apart from other travellers is that he often goes for the road less taken. Rizal embraces everything that comes along with the journey; from breathtaking views or harsh nature, to getting to know the locals and their tradition and life, to the hardship and challenges that get in the way.
Besides his impressive resume as an adventurer, what makes Rizal a true Hypergear Hero is his aspiration to give back to society in any way he could. Apart from the charity work that he has done by visiting less fortunate families and donating grocery essentials for them as well as volunteering for an earthquake relief program in Indonesia, Rizal also aspires to someday "create a beautiful and safe space for young people to connect and fall in love with nature", as he said in an interview with star2.com.