Ailing from abductions, Sabah tourism now faces post-quake struggle

KOTA KINABALU — Already beleaguered by abductions on its troubled east coast, Sabah’s tourism industry now faces the additional challenge of recovering from the deadly earthquake a month ago.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun said that it has been a tough few years for Sabah, and it is struggling to reassure visitors and the public that it remained a safe place to visit despite recent misfortunes.

“It has been a yo-yo year. Things were looking up and then we are pushed down again. We need to do a lot to restore confidence in the Kundasang and Ranau region which has been a major attraction,” he said.

The magnitude 5.9 earthquake on June 5 was the strongest recorded in the country and killed 18 climbers atop Mount Kinabalu. Subsequent aftershocks that now total more than 100 also caused mudslides and more damage to buildings in the state, leaving villagers in fear of the next big tremblor.

Mr Masidi said that part of the problem was that locals were spreading rumours via social media of impending earthquakes and propagating the view of how unsafe it was in the state.

“People are so keen to spread rumours. Some are not even real photos that have been circulating. Maybe some are Photoshopped, and they think it’s a funny prank. But it causes a lot of damage to the industry,” he said.

Kinabalu Park, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia, is one of the top attractions in the country. Ranau and Kundasang, at the foothills of mountain are highly dependent on business from tourists who visit the area for its temperate weather and vegetation.

According to Mr Masidi, the hotels, homestays, shops, eateries and vegetable stalls there have all been badly affected, recounting how he was among the only guests at a hotel in Kundasang recently.

The minister said, however, that the safety concerns over the deadly quake were unfounded.

“The only place that is unsafe is the top of Mount Kinabalu. There may be some signs of damage and aftershocks but this is normal. We need to negate the perception that the whole of Sabah is affected and this responsibility lies with everybody,” said Mr Masidi.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Matta fair here yesterday (July 3).

Mr Masidi then urged the industry to be versatile and explore other opportunities in the state during the current closure of Mount Kinabalu to tourists.

The closure of Mount Kinabalu to climbers have affected tourism arrivals to Sabah, although statistics were not immediately available.

While there is pressure to quickly reopen the mountain trails that were close to repair the damage from the quake, Mr Masidi said ensuring the safety of visitors were the main concern.

The minister also found solace in foreign tourists postponing rather than outright cancelling their trips to Sabah.

“We need to ensure our industry is sustainable and gets back on track as soon as possible,” he said.

“We have had messages from people sending their best wishes and instead of cancelling, many tourists have also decided to postpone their trip instead in order to support the state.”

Visitor arrivals from China to the state have previously been reportedly decreased by as much as 30 per cent following several kidnappings by foreign armed gunmen at Sabah’s east coast. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE