KOTA KINABALU: State Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Christina Liew said the drowning incident off Mamutik island last weekend serves as a reminder to all travellers and operators to continue to strictly practice and adhere to operation procedures set for any tourism-related recreational activities.
“The responsibility of ensuring safety during tourism activities must always be given priority. In this case, we will probe into understanding how the victim went unnoticed until everyone returned to the beach.
“Under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment (KePKAS), together with Sabah Parks, we will continue to ensure safety measures are in place and to remind all operators not to turn a blind eye to the task of assuming safety,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.
Liew said she will also call for an engagement session between tourism stakeholders, the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), and Sabah Parks.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) will continue to conduct more vigorous checks on safety compliance by all tour operators.
Liew made it clear that lifeguards are placed on duty at islands under the Sabah Parks purview, while the safety of divers is under the supervision and responsibility of dive masters.
“My ministry places utmost concern on all safety issues and will continue to ensure all relevant authorities play their roles, respectively, in safeguarding everyone’s safety,” she added.
