Malaysia bars Canadian siblings who stripped on Mt Kinabalu from leaving, says portal

Siblings Lindsey and Danielle Petersen are barred from leaving Malaysia after the duo and eight others posed naked at Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Canadian news portal thestar.com reported. The group were blamed by the local indigenous people for a 5.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Ranau, 20km from the Kinabalu Park two days ago. The Canadian siblings and three others have been identified by the Malaysian police. Locals believe the mountain is sacred place where spirits reside after people have passed away, the report said. Deputy Sabah Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan was quoted as saying the tourists “showed disrespect to the sacred mountain” by stripping down to pose naked on the morning of May 30, at the 8km mark of the two-day trek up Mount Kinabalu. News reports said 10 tourists undressed and took photos, which was reported by their protesting guide, according to Malaysian police. The other three are two Dutch citizens named Eleanor Hawrins and Dylan Thomas, and a German citizen named Stephan Pohlner. Nicolas Doire, a spokesperson for the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed to thestar.com that they are aware of reports that two Canadians have been barred from leaving Malaysia. Doire was quoted as saying that the Canadian High Commission in Malaysia‎ is prepared to provide consular services as needed. “When the earthquake occurred it can be taken as confirmation of what the consequences would be when these people decided to bare it all on top of the mountain. We cannot play around with the spirits on our sacred mountain,” the Huguan Siou (leader of the Kadazan-Dusun Murut people), Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan, was reported telling the Borneo Post. – June 7, 2015.