RM50,000 goodwill expenses offered to families of two China tourists killed

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the families of the two Chinese tourists diving in Pulau Kalapuan waters off Semporna where they were found dead believed due to the blast from fish bombs have agreed to wait for the result of police investigation before deciding the next move.

Liew, who is also the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, said the family members had two to three meetings with senior officers of Sabah Tourism Board (STB) before they returned to China last week.

“We have had cordial meetings and all parties have decided that at this point, we just cover all their expenses when they were in Semporna, Tawau and Kota Kinabalu for almost two weeks.

“We paid for all their needs.” She said a sum of RM50,000 was also offered as compassion and goodwill expenses before the families went home, adding that the money was not compensation.

“The parties have agreed that we will leave it as it is till the result of police investigation has come out on the exact cause of death,” she said when asked by the media after officiating at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu’s 40th anniversary celebration here yesterday.

To another question, Liew said the operator who took the two Chinese tourists on the diving trip was in the process of applying for a licence. She said the company had been in business for quite some time and was in the process of applying to be registered.

“But the process, I was not a minister then, is taking a bit long.”

Liew said she had checked with the federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and its officer informed her that the company had applied for the licence.

“But the company has yet to officially receive the licence and they should not be bringing tourists out.” Asked whether her ministry and Motac would take action on illegal operators in Semporna, Liew assured that appropriate action would be taken. We are not going out there to witch hunt people. They are small businessmen trying to find a living.

“Firstly, we will try to encourage those who want to apply for a licence to quickly submit their application to Motac so that they can be properly registered,” Liew said