KOTA KINABALU: Tourists and tour operators have been reminded not to feed monkeys and other animals when visiting Sabah’s wildlife attractions, says Datuk Jafry Arifin.
The reminder was issued by the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister to the state’s tourism players following a recent incident in which a tour guide was allegedly assaulted by a man who was reprimanded for feeding wild monkeys.
“Actually, under wildlife management and ethics, the public are not supposed to feed wildlife or even fish species at parks and tour sites unless special arrangements with strict procedures have been set,” he said.
Under some regulations, he noted, it is an offence to feed wildlife or even fish in areas within gazetted parks to maintain the natural environment and wildlife ecology.
It is also an offence if such acts lead to the injury or death of the animal, he said.
Jafry said wildlife authorities had issued warnings and notices to all tourism players, reminding them not to feed or allow their patrons to feed any wildlife.
Jafry was responding to a recent viral video showing an unidentified local man allegedly attacking a tour guide after being advised to stop feeding monkeys along a river in Kota Belud.
In the incident on Saturday, tour guide Alex Chin was with a group of tourists on a scenic boat tour along a river in Kota Belud when he noticed a man on another boat feeding several wild monkeys near the riverbank.
Chin, a licensed guide, approached the man and advised him against feeding the monkeys.
However, the man was said to have become angry and later steered his boat towards the tour boat before punching and threatening Chin.
In the video, Chin was seen with a bloodied face as crew members intervened to prevent the incident from escalating.
Jafry confirmed that a police report had been lodged over the alleged assault and advised the public to be mindful of their actions.
