Tourists return to Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu after Sabah quake

KUALA LUMPUR: Climbers are returning in droves to Malaysia’s easternmost state of Sabah, ten months after an earthquake that killed 18, Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Masidi Manjun said on Friday (Apr 1).

Around 3,600 tourists, mostly foreigners, climbed the 4,000-m tall Mt Kinabalu in March, up from 1,200 tourists in January, Mr Masidi told Channel NewsAsia on the sidelines of a welcome dinner for Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is in Sabah for a working visit.

The park was closed for six months after the earthquake for repairs, but opened to the public in December. Two new trails will soon be opened, set to offer a better view for climbers.

“Your experience will be better than before, and it will also be safer, if I may say so,” said Mr Masidi.

Authorities have limited the number of climbers per day to 120, down from the previous limit of 190. Mountain guides are also now required to pass an important test in rescue and crisis response before their licenses are renewed, with experts in mountain rescue from Canada and Japan offering free training to the guides.

“Now, we are making it compulsory for everyone to pass – so that when you become a guide, you need to be certified for the rescue unit at the same time,” said Mr Masidi.

Tour operators also have a responsibility to make sure climbers fully understand the guidelines of the trip before commencing their ascent.

A group of western tourists were said to have taken off their clothes and urinated at the peak of Mt Kinabalu, a week before the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Sabah on Jun 5 last year.

Locals believe their actions angered the guardian of Mt Kinabalu, which is considered sacred. Since the park reopened, tourists are required to sign an understanding before their climb, subjected to native court jurisdictions.

The new rules could see climbers being put behind bars immediately for failing to observe guidelines.

“If you don’t sign, you don’t climb,” said Mr Masidi. “If for any reason they end up doing what they are not supposed to do, then they have to face the full brunt of the law.”

The quake was the strongest to hit the country since 1976. The victims included seven students, two teachers and one trainer from Singapore’s Tanjong Katong Primary School. It also damaged trails, hostels and other infrastructure.- CNA/yt