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| Father of British tourist held after 'naked' prank asks for clemency | Father of British tourist held after 'naked' prank asks for clemency |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The father of a British woman arrested in Malaysia for posing naked on Mount Kinabalu has appealed to the authorities not to make an example of her, amid fears for her safety after the prank was blamed for causing a deadly earthquake. | The father of a British woman arrested in Malaysia for posing naked on Mount Kinabalu has appealed to the authorities not to make an example of her, amid fears for her safety after the prank was blamed for causing a deadly earthquake. |
| Eleanor Hawkins, 23, from Derby, was one of 10 trekkers who stripped on the mountain on 30 May in a stunt that a local official said was insulting to indigenous people, suggesting it may even be considered the cause of an earthquake that killed 18 people days later. | Eleanor Hawkins, 23, from Derby, was one of 10 trekkers who stripped on the mountain on 30 May in a stunt that a local official said was insulting to indigenous people, suggesting it may even be considered the cause of an earthquake that killed 18 people days later. |
| Hawkins was arrested at Tawau airport on Tuesday before she was due to depart for Kuala Lumpur. She appeared in court on Wednesday with Dylan Snel, a Dutch tourist, and Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, two Canadian siblings, court sources have confirmed. | Hawkins was arrested at Tawau airport on Tuesday before she was due to depart for Kuala Lumpur. She appeared in court on Wednesday with Dylan Snel, a Dutch tourist, and Lindsey and Danielle Petersen, two Canadian siblings, court sources have confirmed. |
| The four were remanded for four days pending further investigations into alleged indecency. | The four were remanded for four days pending further investigations into alleged indecency. |
| Hawkins’ father, Tim, who runs his own mechanical engineering business in Derby, said: “I would like to appeal to the Malaysian authorities. I have got every faith in their judicial system. I just hope they don’t make an example of them after the tragic earthquake.” | Hawkins’ father, Tim, who runs his own mechanical engineering business in Derby, said: “I would like to appeal to the Malaysian authorities. I have got every faith in their judicial system. I just hope they don’t make an example of them after the tragic earthquake.” |
| Tim Hawkins told the Guardian that he spoke to his daughter on Wednesday morning: “She is obviously upset. She’s pretty scared. But it was good to speak to her.” | Tim Hawkins told the Guardian that he spoke to his daughter on Wednesday morning: “She is obviously upset. She’s pretty scared. But it was good to speak to her.” |
| He also spoke of his daughter’s relief to be in the hands of the Malaysia authorities after the stunt prompted an angry backlash among the Malaysian public. “She’s kind of relieved because she saw it coming. It’s good to know where she is. It is not the kind of situation you envisage when your daughter goes travelling.” | He also spoke of his daughter’s relief to be in the hands of the Malaysia authorities after the stunt prompted an angry backlash among the Malaysian public. “She’s kind of relieved because she saw it coming. It’s good to know where she is. It is not the kind of situation you envisage when your daughter goes travelling.” |
| Eleanor Hawkins is understood to be held in a cell with Danielle Petersen. Ronny Cham, Hawkins’ lawyer, told the Guardian he requested the group be held separately for their own safety because of the level of public anger generated by the alleged stunt. | Eleanor Hawkins is understood to be held in a cell with Danielle Petersen. Ronny Cham, Hawkins’ lawyer, told the Guardian he requested the group be held separately for their own safety because of the level of public anger generated by the alleged stunt. |
| Hawkins was educated at the independent Ockbrook school in Ockbrook, Derbyshire, which she left with four A-levels at grade A. She graduated last year from the University of Southampton with a masters in aerospace engineering, according to her LinkedIn profile. | Hawkins was educated at the independent Ockbrook school in Ockbrook, Derbyshire, which she left with four A-levels at grade A. She graduated last year from the University of Southampton with a masters in aerospace engineering, according to her LinkedIn profile. |
| She worked as a barmaid in a Southampton pub while studying, as well as spending the summer of 2013 on a Camp America summer placement. Her duties as a riding instructor at Pompositticut Farm Day Camp in Hudson, Massachusetts, included “being a responsible role model for all children and younger members of staff at all times,” her LinkedIn profile said. | She worked as a barmaid in a Southampton pub while studying, as well as spending the summer of 2013 on a Camp America summer placement. Her duties as a riding instructor at Pompositticut Farm Day Camp in Hudson, Massachusetts, included “being a responsible role model for all children and younger members of staff at all times,” her LinkedIn profile said. |
| Hawkins’ cellmate Danielle Petersen, 22, and her brother Lindsey, 23 are from Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Toronto Star said their father, Floyd Petersen, only learned of their predicament when it contacted him on Saturday. He confirmed they were travelling together in Malaysia and said they rarely phone home. | Hawkins’ cellmate Danielle Petersen, 22, and her brother Lindsey, 23 are from Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Toronto Star said their father, Floyd Petersen, only learned of their predicament when it contacted him on Saturday. He confirmed they were travelling together in Malaysia and said they rarely phone home. |
| Both siblings are believed to be current or former students at the University of Regina, also in Saskatchewan. The university told CTV News Regina it was monitoring the situation. The area’s MP, Ralph Goodale, said the Canadian government was trying to free the pair. “The incident, obviously, was ill advised,” he said. | Both siblings are believed to be current or former students at the University of Regina, also in Saskatchewan. The university told CTV News Regina it was monitoring the situation. The area’s MP, Ralph Goodale, said the Canadian government was trying to free the pair. “The incident, obviously, was ill advised,” he said. |
| Malaysian authorities arrested a third Canadian in connection with the stunt on Wednesday. Emil Kaminski, a 33-year-old adventure travel blogger, allegedly led the group up the mountain. | Malaysian authorities arrested a third Canadian in connection with the stunt on Wednesday. Emil Kaminski, a 33-year-old adventure travel blogger, allegedly led the group up the mountain. |
| Described by the New Straits Times as a “notorious Canadian nudist”, he is said to be facing charges of indecent exposure, as well as further charges of insulting local culture and people through social media postings. | Described by the New Straits Times as a “notorious Canadian nudist”, he is said to be facing charges of indecent exposure, as well as further charges of insulting local culture and people through social media postings. |
| Kaminski was the original source of one of the photos circulating online showing the group of 10 naked on the mountain, it has been widely reported. | Kaminski was the original source of one of the photos circulating online showing the group of 10 naked on the mountain, it has been widely reported. |
| Officials in Sabah state, in the northern half of the island of Borneo, accused the tourists of showing “disrespect to the sacred mountain”, which at 4,095 metres is south-east Asia’s highest peak. | Officials in Sabah state, in the northern half of the island of Borneo, accused the tourists of showing “disrespect to the sacred mountain”, which at 4,095 metres is south-east Asia’s highest peak. |
| Sabah’s indigenous Kadazan Dusun people believe the tourists’ behaviour angered the spirit of the mountain and was the reason for a 5.9-magnitude earthquake, which six days later struck near the mountain, killing 18 climbers. | Sabah’s indigenous Kadazan Dusun people believe the tourists’ behaviour angered the spirit of the mountain and was the reason for a 5.9-magnitude earthquake, which six days later struck near the mountain, killing 18 climbers. |
| Hawkins was third to enter the court on Wednesday, as the group was ushered in handcuffed together and dressed in purple prison uniforms. | Hawkins was third to enter the court on Wednesday, as the group was ushered in handcuffed together and dressed in purple prison uniforms. |
| The four were remanded until 14 June. Cham said they are likely to be charged with “causing annoyance by conducting obscene acts in a public place”. | The four were remanded until 14 June. Cham said they are likely to be charged with “causing annoyance by conducting obscene acts in a public place”. |
| He said they could face three months in prison if found guilty, or a fine, or both. He said if charged, the defence was likely to argue that the top of the mountain should not be defined as a public place where annoyance could be caused to the public. | He said they could face three months in prison if found guilty, or a fine, or both. He said if charged, the defence was likely to argue that the top of the mountain should not be defined as a public place where annoyance could be caused to the public. |
| Cham accused local state officials of of stoking a public backlash against the tourists. He said: “I asked the court they be held in separate custody from other detainees. Because of the sentiment in this case, we want to protect their safety. People are laying blame on them for offending the mountain. There is a lot of stupidity involved and unfortunately politicians have jumped on the bandwagon to condemn them for causing the earthquake, which is ridiculous.” | Cham accused local state officials of of stoking a public backlash against the tourists. He said: “I asked the court they be held in separate custody from other detainees. Because of the sentiment in this case, we want to protect their safety. People are laying blame on them for offending the mountain. There is a lot of stupidity involved and unfortunately politicians have jumped on the bandwagon to condemn them for causing the earthquake, which is ridiculous.” |
| The Foreign Office in London confirmed that a British national had been arrested and consular assistance was being provided. | The Foreign Office in London confirmed that a British national had been arrested and consular assistance was being provided. |
| Sabah’s deputy chief minister, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, said a special ritual would be conducted to “appease the mountain spirit”. | Sabah’s deputy chief minister, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, said a special ritual would be conducted to “appease the mountain spirit”. |
| malaysiakini: Four foreigners held for stripping atop Mt Kinabalu http://t.co/zjEjc9YxA9 #SabahQuake pic.twitter.com/thr14eX6Hr | malaysiakini: Four foreigners held for stripping atop Mt Kinabalu http://t.co/zjEjc9YxA9 #SabahQuake pic.twitter.com/thr14eX6Hr |
| Sabah’s state tourism minister, Masidi Manjun, tweeted that legal proceedings against the four foreigners had begun and that they would be remanded for four days. | Sabah’s state tourism minister, Masidi Manjun, tweeted that legal proceedings against the four foreigners had begun and that they would be remanded for four days. |
| Legal proceedings have commenced in court against 4 alleged 'strippers on Mt Kinabalu' this morning. Remand application for 4 days granted. | Legal proceedings have commenced in court against 4 alleged 'strippers on Mt Kinabalu' this morning. Remand application for 4 days granted. |
| Masidi said the suggestion that the tourists’ actions had caused the earthquake was “misconstrued”. | Masidi said the suggestion that the tourists’ actions had caused the earthquake was “misconstrued”. |
| “I never said that they actually caused the earthquake, but their actions were against the people of the largest tribe in Sabah. The mountain is a revered and sacred site,” he said. | “I never said that they actually caused the earthquake, but their actions were against the people of the largest tribe in Sabah. The mountain is a revered and sacred site,” he said. |
| Myths of the peak | |
| Mount Kinabalu is the subject of many competing myths and legends about its name and spiritual significance. The local Kadazan-Dusun people believe its name derives from the words “Aki Nabalu”, meaning “the revered place of the dead”. The Kadazan-Dusun have left tributes for their ancestral spirits that roam the peaks for hundreds of years, a practice that was first recorded by British colonialist Sir Hugh Low in 1858. | |
| Popular folklore differs, claiming the mountain’s name actually means “Chinese widow”. Legend tells the story of a Chinese prince who scales the peak in search of a pearl guarded by a ferocious dragon. The prince kills the dragon and marries a local woman, but abandons her and returns to China. The woman’s spirit is said to wander the mountain lost in grief. | |
| Despite these differences, the need for respect for Mount Kinabalu and its spirits is frequently emphasised to all that travel to the Unesco World Heritage site. Patrick Greenfield |