A high-ranking Malaysian official has blamed the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the nation recently on a group of tourists who may have violated the sacred mountains by going naked during their visit.
The earthquake that ran through the Kota Kinabalu, killing at least 16 people including visiting schoolchildren, has been regarded as a desecration of the sacred mountains, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the Malay Mail Online reported.
Pairin said that based on some posts on social media, the 10 foreigners who visited the Mt. Kinabalu weeks before the natural disaster went naked and even urinated there. He noted that the visiting foreigners should have respected the customs and traditions of the locals, the publication added, saying that Malaysia is a highly conservative society which prohibits public nudity.
Pairin even said that the visiting foreigners from Canada, Germany and the Netherlands should be brought to court and penalized for their actions.
He added that some may not believe this correlation, but respecting cultural traditions should always be observed.
Rescue operations are continuing, with only two victims of the quake still missing.
As of Sunday, six pupils and one teacher from a Singapore school, Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS), had been identified and were confirmed dead. The Singaporean adventure guide who was with them on the field trip to Mount Kinabalu also perished, the Singapore Straits Times said in a related report.
