Tour operators risk being fined
Published on: Thursday, February 02, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Tour boat operators will be fined if they refuse to heed the law laid down by City Hall – they are not allowed to berth their boats at jetties ungazetted for tourists. "In relation to the catamaran tragedy, City Hall will for the time being station enforcement officers on both jetties located in the water villages from today (Wednesday). We hope all boat operators will heed the recent tragedy and adhere to existing laws set by the authorities," Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai (pic) said, during a demolition exercise carried out on a fishermen's jetty where a tour company had been operating with the support of villagers. The two jetties – one at Kg Tanjung Aru Baru and the other at Kg Tanjung Aru Lama approximately 100 metres – apart were both shut down by City Hall.
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The action followed the fatal boat accident on Saturday that saw a boat carrying 28 Chinese tourists and three crew sink after being hit by strong waves while heading for Mengalum Island. Three Chinese nationals died, while 22 were rescued; six people are still missing.Yeo said City Hall had no jurisdiction to enforce the law at sea but that due to demand, there were plans to build a tourist jetty in the area.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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During the demolition several benches were destroyed and a step ladder was taken away, while enforcement officers sealed off the jetty's entry point.
