Sabah's dive industry welcomes ministry's licensing guidelines
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Sabah's diving community has welcomed the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry's new licensing requirements for dive guides, praising regulation as a means to raise accountability and safety standards while protecting livelihoods. Sabah Dive Squad Club president Sim Fui stated that registration should create a fair and properly regulated industry, prioritizing qualified local dive professionals over unregulated or unauthorized foreign operators.
The new guidelines require applicants to be Malaysian citizens aged 18 or older, possess a valid Dive Master or Dive Instructor certification, complete a recognized tourism course, be employed by a dive centre with a valid Tourism Operation and Travel Agency Business license, join a tourist guide association, and submit various supporting documents.
While the Semporna Diving Professionals Association president, Suzimin Edris, believes the registration system could enhance oversight and ensure dive companies comply with labor obligations, freelance diving instructor Aquila Chu called for a simplified application process, emphasizing the need for greater structure and supervision in the industry.
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