In Malaysia, officials detained tourists from Canada, Netherlands, and Germany, who are among the 10 foreigners who disrespected the country's sacred mountain, which allegedly led to an earthquake killing more than a dozen citizens.
On Friday, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit Mt. Kinabalu, killing 16 people with two still missing, Daily Mail UK reports. Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin believed the tourists who have stripped their way down to their birthday suit, on the holy mountain caused nature's wrath.
Buzzfeed reports park officials at Mt. Kinabalu released a police statement, identifying five of the tourists as Canadians, Lindsey and Danielle Peterson, Dutch citizens, Thomas and Eleanor Hawrins, and German Stephan Pohlner. They added in their statement that one of the visitors even yelled "go to hell," when another person warned them of their disrespectful act.
The Malaysian government ordered to detain the identified tourists, and is still in-search for the other five. The deputy chief minister firmly believes that the rude behavior of the foreigners at Malaysia's sacred mountain triggered the deadly disaster.
After witnessing a flock of birds flying outside his house the day before the earthquake, Pairin told Malay Online that those signs were related to Mt. Kinabalu's anger and was a "clear connection of the incident to the earthquake that has brought about so much damage and loss of lives."
Pairin also added that in visiting sacred places like Mt. Kinabalu, people should also respect the culture of the land they are immersing into. "We have to take this as a reminder that local beliefs and customs are not to be disrespected."
Canadian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nicola Doire told Buzzfeed that "Canadian consular officials in Malaysia are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information and are providing consular assistance to the Canadian citizens as required."
Doire refused to comment further due to privacy reasons.
