A tour guide suffered a broken and bleeding nose after allegedly being attacked by a boatman following a disagreement over the feeding of wild monkeys during a river cruise in Kawa-Kawa, Kota Belud.
The guide, who wished to be known as Alex, said he was accompanying a group of Chinese tourists when the incident occurred shortly before sunset. Kawa-Kawa is a popular destination for visitors hoping to spot proboscis monkeys and fireflies.
Alex said the group encountered several long-tailed macaques along the riverbank during the cruise. While the boats stopped to allow tourists to take photographs, another boat reportedly approached and its operator began feeding the monkeys cakes.
He said he politely asked the boatman to stop, warning that feeding wild animals could cause them to associate boats with food and potentially become aggressive.
According to Alex, some tour guides had previously encountered macaques jumping onto boats and grabbing tourists’ belongings. He said his concern was also to prevent visitors from being injured, particularly because the nearest hospital is located some distance from the site.
However, Alex claimed the boatman ignored his advice and told him that he had the right to feed the animals. Alex said he explained that he was merely following instructions from the Wildlife Department.
The situation allegedly escalated after Alex’s group returned to the jetty. He claimed the boatman followed them with several other men, who allegedly boarded his boat and attacked him.
Alex also alleged that the boatman was carrying a sharp object and threatened to harm him unless he apologised. Fearing for the safety of his guests, who were reportedly distressed by the confrontation, Alex said he repeatedly apologised to calm the situation.
He has since lodged a police report in Kota Belud over the alleged assault.
Meanwhile, Airworld Travel and Tour chairman and senior tourism industry figure Winston Liaw Ket Siong, who was approached by Alex for assistance, condemned the alleged incident and said such intimidation should not be tolerated.
Liaw said incidents of this nature could damage Sabah’s tourism reputation and potentially make visitors feel unsafe. He urged tourism authorities to introduce educational programmes for boat operators covering proper conduct, boat handling, safety and security.
He also called on the police and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) to investigate the matter thoroughly, stressing that safety and security must remain a priority for everyone involved in the tourism industry.
