Tourists May Face Charges for Kinabalu Nude Photo
Borneo tribes say stunt was disrespectful
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Malaysian authorities have brought four tourists to court for allegedly taking naked photos on top of Mount Kinabalu, NBC News reported Thursday.
The tourists—two Canadians, a British citizen, and a Dutch citizen—could face a fine and up to three months in jail if charged and convicted for a stunt some local tribes believe desecrated a sacred peak, the site of last Friday’s earthquake.
The four appeared in court earlier this week and were placed in custody for five days, according to CBS. They have not yet been charged but could face counts of indecent exposure. Ten people allegedly posed for the photo, which was posted to social media, but authorities are still looking for the other six, according to the BBC.
“Mount Kinabalu is considered a very sacred place by the natives of Sabah, and any action that could be interpreted as belittling the mountain is considered a very serious offense,” Sabah minister of tourism, culture, and environment Masidi Manjun told NBC.
