Sabah Most Wanted

Preventing a repeat of tourists going topless here

Preventing a repeat of tourists going topless here
Published on: Saturday, March 14, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Tour operators may need to add an additional piece of advice to their clients now. That they should try not to lose their tops. A circular will be handed to them soon to advise tourists to dress decently before heading out to island parks, here.
This came following the reports of two women found frolicking bare chested on two instances, one in Pulau Sulug and second in Pulau Manukan, both islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, last week. Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun on Friday said operators need to take note of this, adding that the park operator will beef up moral policing on the island.
"First of all, Sabah Parks (caretaker of the marine park) is carrying out an investigation," said Masidi, adding that the probe will include how the woman who complained about the topless tourists could get to Pulau Sulug, with her family last Sunday.
"We do not know how the woman can be on the island which has no jetty for boats to berth. The island is not developed," he added.
He believed that the family trip could have been facilitated by illegal boat operators, or done without permission from Sabah Parks as most visitors heading to the island go escorted.
On Sunday, a woman had a shock when one of her two children reported seeing two topless women frolicking on the beach in Pulau Sulug before the presence of children and beach-goers.
Four days later, another two women were spotted doing the same in Pulau Manukan, a busier island. While the woman packed and left the island following the incident, the second incident was spotted by Park rangers who had advised them to put their tops back on, which the women happily complied.
It could not be confirmed whether the two foreign women, believed to be in their 20s, were the same ones in both occasions.
However, Sabah Parks Director Dr Jamili Nais said instances of women going bare chested on the islands has happened once in a while but when approached they will gladly comply with the rules.
He said although such behaviour here is unacceptable and uncommon, it has become more frequent nowadays.