United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Malaysians want detained Mt Kinabalu tourists punished
Western tourists who stripped naked on Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu a week before it was struck by a devastating earthquake face the prospect of fines according to indigenous law after locals blamed them for the tremor that has now killed 18 people.
A police report was filed against five of the 10 tourists and the deputy chief minister of Sabah state where the mountain is located has said he believes they caused the 6.0 magnitude earthquake at the weekend.
Kinabalu is considered a sacred mountain by the indigenous community in Sabah and they say the tourists’ actions angered its spirit.
The 10 foreigners, including two Canadians, two Dutch and a German, allegedly broke away from a larger group of tourists to take photographs of themselves standing naked on the mountain. The images were later posted on social media.
A local tribal priest, known as Bobolian, is demanding the tourists pay for 10 head of buffalo to be sacrificed to the mountain spirits, according to the Straits Times, while local Sabahans want action taken to punish the tourists.
A woman, suspected of being in the group who stripped off, was arrested as she attempted to leave East Malaysia at Tawau Airport.
One of the group who evaded the authorities remains unrepentant following a heated Twitter exchange with Sabah minister Masidi Manjun on Monday.
Tourist Emil Kaminski had called the minister an ‘idiot’ and accused him of ‘setting Malaysia back hundreds of years.’
Kaminski also been subjected to numerous vitriolic comments from Malaysians on social media including several death threats.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Exploring Brooklands Museum with Alex Patterson
Global Tourism Challenges and Upcoming Events: A Conversation with Don Welsh
Peebles Barbeque: A Legacy of Flavor and Tradition
Exploring Bok Tower Gardens with Erica Smith
Rue’s Living Water Boat Cruises: Exploring Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes
Durango and Silverton Railroad: A Timeless Journey Through History and Scenic Beauty
Walt Leger on New Orleans’ Resilience and Major Events Ahead
Cindy Mackin Shares Estes Park’s Winter Thrills
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
EU entry-exit system delayed again
Carnival Cruise Line hosts Prague getaway for Fun Ambassadors
Council moves to designate Forest of Dean a Biosphere
US tourism hit with UK, Germany travel warnings
Uganda Airlines launching London flights