British woman who was part of the group of tourists who came under fire from locals for getting naked on a sacred Malaysian mountain in late May, has apologized for her involvement.
Authorities criticized 10 backpackers for stripping down on Mount Kinabalu, a mountain on the island of Borneo, which is shared by the Malaysian state of Sabah. Kinabalu is a sacred site revered by Sabah’s indigenous Kadazan Dusun people.
On June 5, 18 people died after a magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck near the mountain, igniting anger among some locals who claimed the two incidents were related.
Four members of the tourist group were later arrested, charged with indecency, and handed a three-day prison sentence and fine, according to The Telegraph
British backpacker Eleanor Hawkins was among those detained, but was later released, and returned home to the UK. She stood alongside her parents outside their home in Derbyshire on Sunday, and told media how “truly sorry” she was for her “foolish” actions.
The three other westerners charged with indecency — one Dutch and two Canadians — have all left the island.
The Kadazan Dusun were infuriated after photos of the tourists emerged online. While some indigenous people linked their actions to the earthquake, others were simply offended that the tourists had disrespected a place deemed sacred by locals.
Police Report”Assalamualaikum Ydh Datuk, T/RO, T/SP, Tuan2 PT.Maklum satu kes menarik perhatian telah dibuka dibawah…
Posted by Kinabalu Park on Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Prosecutors said the 10 had climbed Mount Kinabalu’s peak to enjoy the sunrise on May 30, and then took off their clothes to pose for photos.
The tourists’ mountain guide, who had tried to prevent them from getting naked on the sacred site, was among those who felt they had been left off too easy, The Telegraph reported.
“I’m so angry they have been allowed to leave,” Nor Azlan said. “They should be sent back to Malaysia.”