The Sabah Tourism Board of Malaysia has issued a statement: all tourism activities are operating normally.

▲The Sabah Tourism Board has issued a statement confirming that all tourism activities within the state are proceeding as normal. The photo shows Sapi Island in Sabah. (Photo provided by Tourism Malaysia)

Reported by Chen Zi-Yin / Taipei

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia, on the morning of June 5. Tremors were felt in Kota Belud and Kota Marudu in the north, as well as in Beaufort, south of the state capital. The Sabah state government also declared June 8 as a day of mourning to commemorate the 18 hikers who tragically lost their lives in the rockfall triggered by the earthquake.Today (9th), the Sabah Tourism Board also issued its first official statement, confirming that all local tourism activities are operating normally.

The Sabah Tourism Board stated in today’s (9th) announcement that the Sabah State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment has issued a notice temporarily banning Mount Kinabalu climbing activities for at least three weeks to allow for repairs and reconstruction of damaged hiking trails and accommodation facilities located at Laban Rata and Kundasang at an altitude of 3,273 meters.

The Sabah Tourism Board emphasized that apart from the Mount Kinabalu climbing route, all roads in Sabah remain fully open, and all tourism-related activities within the state are operating as usual. Events such as the dusk concert at the northernmost tip of Borneo last weekend, the Asia-Pacific Junior Chamber International Conference expected to attract 3,000 attendees this week, and the Sabah Chinese Chamber of Commerce International Dragon Boat Race are all set to be held in grand style in Kota Kinabalu. Government offices, banks, shops, retail businesses, night markets, and various nightlife and entertainment venues across the state, including those in the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) area, are functioning as normal.

Additionally, the Sabah Tourism Board mentioned that starting June 18, Muslims around the world, including those in Sabah, will begin the month-long daytime fasting period of Ramadan. During this time, countless street vendors will appear in towns and cities every evening, selling a wide variety of cakes and delicacies for worshippers to break their fast at dusk.