KOTA KINABALU: Tourists are reminded to dress and behave decently when visiting Sabah.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew said Sabah always welcomes tourists to the state famous for its natural beauty but at the same time they should be mindful of what they wear.
She said she understood that visitors want to feel comfortable on holiday, but they should be aware of cultural sensitivities.
“We hope tourists can understand this and not walk around in their underwear,” she said in response to the viral photo showing a woman wearing a pink long sleeve shirt and white bikini bottom in the city recently.
Liew said tour guides should remind their guests on the dos and don’ts in Sabah.
“Some of the guidelines are pure common sense.
“They are adults,” she said.
The photo of the woman near an eatery at the Asia City complex here had set tongues wagging, with people commenting on her attire on social media.
One man said: “Is Sabah really that hot?
“I have to order another iced coffee after seeing her walk past.”
Another jokingly responded by saying it was a trend to walk in panties under the hot sun.
Incidences of tourists dressing and acting inappropriately have been reported in the state in the past.
On June 27, two women tourists from China who danced disrespectfully on a fence in front of the city mosque were fined RM25 each and escorted to the airport to return home.
On July 11, a video of a woman doing a handstand in the middle of the famous Gaya Street in downtown Kota Kinabalu and a photo of a scantily-clad woman doing the same in front of a mosque here have attracted criticism.
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