Western tourists jailed in Malaysia for "upsetting the gods" by posing nude on a sacred mountain

[davidn3600]

A Malaysian tribal chief has called on Western tourists who were arrested for stripping naked on top of a mountain to pay a fine of ten buffalo or face jail, it has been reported.

Former British public schoolgirl Eleanor Hawkins is among the group accused of 'upsetting the gods' by posing nude on the country's highest peak days before an earthquake killed 18 climbers on the mountain.

Eleanor, 24, from Derby, was detained at a Sabah airport yesterday while trying to fly to Kuala Lumpur.

Last night it was reported that one local tribal chief had called on the tourists to pay a ‘sogit’ or fine of ten buffalo or face jail.

Priest Tindarama Aman Sirom Simbuna said: ‘The tourists who angered the guardian of the mountain should pay for their mistakes by giving sogit.

'This should be in the form of ten male or female buffalo'.

Indigenous people say Mount Kinabalu - where the group posed for their photo - is a resting place for the spirits of the departed.

Miss Hawkins, an aerospace engineering student, is said to be 'very upset' as she sits in a police cell in Borneo facing obscenity charges, which can carry a three-month prison sentence.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3117940/British-woman-four-tourists-arrested-stripping-naked-mountain-Malaysia-locals-say-angered-tribal-spirits-caused-deadly-earthquake.html

[CBGLuthier]

1. My advice to tourists is to stay out of countries that STILL believe in sacred mountains

Of course that does include parts of the US, Hawaii in particular, South Dakota...

[struggle4progress]

2. When traveling abroad, maybe it's a good idea not to immediately post on the web

photos showing you doing stuff that might offend the local folk

[Warren DeMontague]

3. How's she gonna get 10 buffalo if she's sitting in a cell?

I hope the buffalo vendors deliver.

[DetlefK]

4. Please imagine tourists posing nude on Arlington Cemetery...

... or on a plantation, right next to an exhibition showing chains and whips that were used to brutalize african slaves...
... or at the Lincoln monument...
... or at the Washington monument...
... or in front of the White House...
... or in front of a monument memorizing 9/11...



Come on! Nobody is getting hurt! What are you getting pissed at?

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Or Justin Bieber and his monkey going to Anne Frank's house, and writing in the guest book

Last edited Fri Jun 12, 2015, 05:27 PM - Edit history (1)

"if Anne were alive, hopefully she'd be a Belieber!"

Oh, I don't have to imagine it, it actually happened.

Anyway, I don't see a huge line of people here complaining about the authorities having a problem with it. Personally, regardless of how I feel about the validity of "sacred" mountains (or monuments, for that matter) or uptight-ness around nudity, the fact remains that it is basic common sense, as a traveler in a foreign land, to respect their customs around stuff like that.

Like in Thailand, don't make fun of the king. I think kings are silly, as a general concept, but- their country. I can respect that.

[davidpdx]

7. That is good common sense advice about traveling

I have a friend who lived in Thailand for years and I remember him telling me that saying anything against the king is considered a crime.

Also I didn't know that about Justine Bieber, but why does it not surprise me.

[Eugene]

6. Tourists who stripped in Malaysia released from jail

Source: USA Today

Tourists who stripped in Malaysia released from jail

Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY 7:18 a.m. EDT June 12, 2015

A British woman and three companions were freed from a Malaysian jail Friday after they pleaded guilty in court to committing obscene acts in public after they stripped naked on a mountain there.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

The four travelers were sentenced to three days in prison, time they already served from the time of their arrest on June 9.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/06/12/malaysia-naked-tourists/71109546/

[davidpdx]

8. When traveling it is generally a good idea to use good decorum and respect

the local customs. It's just common sense.

[MohRokTah]

9. Backwards assed country.

Fucking bullshit. At least they won't be beheaded for it, though, as would be the case in other backwards assed countries.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

12. If only every single human being were exactly like you, what a world it would be.

[Nye Bevan]

10. There may or may not be a mountain god that causes earthquakes when naked tourists piss it off,

but why take a chance?

[Marrah_G]

11. I suggest they start checking craigslist for some buffalo....

[LondonReign2]

13. God is soothed by the payment of 10 buffalo, eh?