Malaysian authorities say they had Mount Kinabalu tourists arrested for public indecency and urinating on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it is also claimed that their naturalist photos also offended the “mountain spirit.” The angry spirits allegedly caused a magnitude-5.9 quake, which killed 18 climbers six days after the nudist photos were taken. In addition to these deaths, the angry local Kadazandusun elders claim such antics insulted their religious beliefs and they are requesting that those responsible be charged in a Native Court.
In a related report by the Inquisitr , one of the Mount Kinabalu tourists arrested was a British woman named Eleanor Hawkins . Her lawyer, Ronny Cham, has requested that the four people arrested so far be held in a separate area in the jail since they fear for their personal safety.
“I ask the court they be held in separate custody from other detainees. Because of the sentiment in this case, we want to protect their safety,” Cham explained. “People are laying blame on them for offending the mountain. There is a lot of stupidity involved and unfortunately politicians have jumped on the bandwagon to condemn them for causing the earthquake, which is ridiculous.”
It is claimed that Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan , specifically blamed the naked Mount Kinabalu tourists for the tragic earthquake, based upon this quote.
“The tourists showed disrespect to the sacred mountain and will face appropriate action according to native laws. Whether other people believe this or not, it’s what we Sabahans believe. When the earthquake happened, it’s like a confirmation of our beliefs. There is almost certainly a connection. We have to take this as a reminder that local beliefs and customs are not to be disrespected.”
After authorities had the Mount Kinabalu tourists arrested, Kitingan is now saying his comments were “misconstrued.” The reason many locals are upset because it is believed the spirits of their ancestors reside on the sacred mountain.
Dutch tourist Dylan Snel and two Canadian siblings, Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, were among the four naked tourists who were arrested. Reports say 27 people scaled Mount Kinabalu on May 30, but only 10 people were involved in the naturalist outing. When the smaller group broke away, the guides warned them to stop, but they were called “stupid” and told to “go to hell.”
“We detained all four of them on Tuesday… and yes we are still searching for the other six tourists, and we will catch them,” the police chief told the Telegraph .
The case is being investigated under Section 290 of the Penal Code for public nuisance, which carries a fine of up to RM400.
“The case is being handled by the headquarters and Ranau criminal investigations department,” the official said, according to Malaysia Edition .
If the Mount Kinabalu tourists are successfully prosecuted , they could face this fine in addition to three months in a Malaysian prison.
[Image via Emil Kaminski]