Foreign tourist’s rant sparks resort probe


KOTA KINABALU: A tourist’s complaint about insects, mouldy pillows and unexpected surcharges has caught the attention of Sabah tourism bosses, who have called for a probe into the claims.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew, who ordered the probe following the complaint posted on RedNote last week, said the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) was investigating.

“I have been informed by STB chief executive officer Jeffery Jimit that the island resort involved has acknowledged the concerns raised by the affected tourists.

“We take all feedback seriously and have taken swift action to address the matter.

“I have directed the CEO to get down to the root of the allegations to determine their veracity and rectify the issue speedily.

“If proven true, appropriate action such as the imposition of a penalty should be levied accordingly.

“We cannot afford to have unpleasant tourist experiences that potentially tarnish the image of Sabah as an ideal travel destination,” she said in a statement.

The state government, according to Liew, is fully committed to preserving Sabah’s reputation and upholding the highest standards of service for each visitor.

In his post on RedNote titled “Kota Kinabalu Travel and Vacation: A Real Experience! Avoid Pitfalls!”, the tourist shared his personal experience and advised against travelling to Kota Kinabalu after a one-week holiday.

“Kota Kinabalu is definitely not a place worth visiting for a vacation,” he said, adding that he stayed at three hotels and his worst experience was at a resort on Pulau Gaya.

“The island resort for three nights was absolutely terrible. The hotel rooms were filled with ants and insects, and the pillow stuffing was yellow and mouldy.

“It was the rainy season during Chinese New Year, and out of the three days on the island, it rained for two. The hotel had only one beach and a swimming pool for recreation,” he said, adding that the resort did not provide free boat transportation to or from the island, with a round trip costing RM160 per person.

“Even more ridiculous: the hotel charged us extra fees for entering and exiting the island, totalling RM2,700,” he said, adding that there were five families in the group who ended up paying over RM6,000 in additional fees.

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