Sabah to act on Mengalum Island tourist death if safety breaches found

KOTA KINABALU - The Sabah government will take action if any regulatory or safety breaches are discovered following an investigation into the death of a Chinese tourist at Mengalum Island on September 23, according to State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin. The ministry will work with relevant agencies to confirm the operator, vessel, tourism activities and facilities involved in the incident complied with regulations.

Jafry emphasized the importance of allowing the police investigation to determine the cause of death before linking it to any licensing or land issues. The verification process will assess whether the necessary licenses and approvals are valid, if safety procedures were followed, if safety equipment is available, if safety briefings were provided, if sufficient supervision was present, and if emergency response protocols were adhered to.

Police officials found no signs of foul play, and the case was classified as sudden death. The land on Mengalum Island is designated as a conservation reserve, but this does not automatically determine the legal status of the specific site or facilities involved in the incident. Any violations or non-compliance identified after the investigation will be handled by the relevant enforcement authorities according to the law.

Jafry called for a review of enforcement, operator compliance, marine safety, and emergency response protocols following the incident, expressing condolences to the deceased's family.