Tourist arrested and accused by Malaysian Govt. for posing nude, which caused an Earthquake

 

Out of 10 tourists, five have been detained by Malaysian officials because the officials say they angered a mountain spirit by posing nude for a photo on top of the mountain. The other five tourist are been searched for.

The photos were taken on Mount Kinabalu in May, and caused many Malaysians to respond with annoyance at the foreigners for stripping at a sacred site.  Things got worst when a 5.9 quake hit on June 5. Once the death toll started rising, local residents decided the travelers' disrespect had caused the quake, and authorities picked up several of the travelers who could now face public nuisance charges, according to The Globe and Mail.


While the charges likely wouldn't carry much of a penalty, the story is a reminder to be respectful when traveling in places with unfamiliar customs. You don't have to get caught smuggling drugs to cause an international incident.

According to The Washington Post, one of the hikers has a habit of baring it all in scenic locales. The man, Emil Kaminski, also has a bit of a mean streak; he's taunted cultural ministers and angry Malaysians through social media.

Kaminski may be right that tectonic plates, not bare butts, cause earthquakes, but his attitude isn't going to set the next bunch of backpackers up for a warm welcome in Malaysia. -