Malaysia Accuses Naked British Stripper Of Causing Earthquake

[copydude]

Malaysian officials have blamed ten Western tourists who stripped on one of the country's most sacred mountains for causing an earthquake that killed more than 16 people.

Members of the indigenous community in Sabah on the island of Borneo also blame the tourists for causing the earthquake, saying that their antics angered the spirit of the sacred mountain.

Seven of the dead are Singaporeans and six are Malaysian, according to Masidi Manjun, the state tourism minister. A Filipino, a Chinese and a Japanese national are also among the dead.

British stripper, Eleanor Hawkins, 23, from Derby, was detained by the authorities and will face prison on obscenity charges.

Eleanor was formerly head girl at an independent school.

Kink

[Bossybabe]

I wonder if the 'ritual' they're going to have to do to 'appease' the spirits will involve the sacrifice of the stripper?

[Bloo Loo]

I would be using the photoshop defence.

[thecrashingisles]

I wonder if the 'ritual' they're going to have to do to 'appease' the spirits will involve the sacrifice of the stripper?

Lord Summerisle has sacrificed himself to appease the gods.

[copydude]

I understand that many custodial sentences may include a whipping.

This isn't mentioned on the Sabah tourism website.

Although climbing is now restricted due to the quake, night clubs will be open as usual. For some reason, this doesn't bother the mountain.

. . . night markets and nightlife entertainments are open as usual, including in the ESSCOM (Eastern Sabah Security Command) areas.

We look forward to welcoming you to Sabah.

Terima Kasih. Thank you.

DATUK IRENE BENGGON CHARURUKSGeneral Manager/Board DirectorEmail: irene@sabahtourism.com

[Bruce Banner]

Is it really any worse than imprisoning a former Royal Marine because he prefers not to wear clothes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Gough

[R K]

Did the earth move for you too love?

[Austin Allegro]

Purely for research purposes I googled this, but all that seems to come up is a picture showing 3 rather chubby girls in some sort of sportswear, three blokes who look like off duty squaddies in Ibiza cupping their genitals, and one wierdly androgenous out of focus figure on the right who may or may not be Miss Hawkins or even a woman at all. If I was an angry earthquake inducing spirit I'd be feeling a bit short-changed to be honest.

[Mrs Bear]

Religious leaders in Aceh blamed the tsunami entirely on Allah's displeasure at ungodly amenities such as cinemas and swimming pools. Nothing new in that.

It's very rough on the girl in question, but at the same time I don't have much patience with people who show no respect for local culture or sensibilities. She surely must have known she was in a pretty pernickety Muslim country, and if she didn't, then IMO she should have.

[Austin Allegro]

Religious leaders in Aceh blamed the tsunami entirely on Allah's displeasure at ungodly amenities such as cinemas and swimming pools. Nothing new in that.

It's very rough on the girl in question, but at the same time I don't have much patience with people who show no respect for local culture or sensibilities. She surely must have known she was in a pretty pernickety Muslim country, and if she didn't, then IMO she should have.

I wonder if the stripping off may have been done in a spirit of pseudo-religiosity of a kind not entirely surprising in people who have been brought up in an entirely secular environment...sort of 'hey let's get naked and commune with this really like deep spiritual place' rather than a Magaluff-style drunken lark deliberately intended to offend.

[Guest eight]

Conspiracy theorist Richard D Hall has reckoned for a while that Malaysia is being softened up for some kind "Axis of Evil" inclusion and that we can expect to see strange fates befalling more Western tourists there.

[ccc]

I have been with a fair few burds that could have caused an earthquake.

[porca misèria]

Is it really any worse than imprisoning a former Royal Marine because he prefers not to wear clothes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Gough

It's normal for him, and locking him up shows a level of intolerance today associated with Islamic State.

On the top of a mountain? Dammit, I've done that (and got very rapidly dressed on hearing boots approaching). Wouldn't mind joining her on a good peak (judging by the 'photos floating around) ...

[Riedquat]

It's very rough on the girl in question, but at the same time I don't have much patience with people who show no respect for local culture or sensibilities. She surely must have known she was in a pretty pernickety Muslim country, and if she didn't, then IMO she should have.

Always a tricky one since I don't have much patience either with some local cultures and sensibilities (althought I'd avoid having anything to do with such places).

[Mrs Bear]

I wonder if the stripping off may have been done in a spirit of pseudo-religiosity of a kind not entirely surprising in people who have been brought up in an entirely secular environment...sort of 'hey let's get naked and commune with this really like deep spiritual place' rather than a Magaluff-style drunken lark deliberately intended to offend.

Yes, that is possible, but stripping off would still be regarded as beyond the pale, and TBH I'd have thought an ex head girl would have had the sense to realise that. And I don't suppose that even if it was a drunken lark it would have been done with any deliberate intention of offending anyone, but from the POV of the locals that would not mitigate anything.

You have to tread carefully in such different cultures. Having said that, an ex BF of my daughter's was banged up for possession of weed in strictly-Shariah-law Aceh - this was ages ago before the tsunami. He was in prison for 8 months and nearly died of dysentery, and he said the guards spent most of their days lounging around the prison yard - smoking weed. In the end his father paid a bribe of about $8000 to get him out and it became apparent that this had always been the ultimate point of the exercise.

He had previously led something of a privileged and easy life, IMO, and so it was a particularly salutary and sobering experience for him.

[Bloo Loo]

Yes, that is possible, but stripping off would still be regarded as beyond the pale, and TBH I'd have thought an ex head girl would have had the sense to realise that. And I don't suppose that even if it was a drunken lark it would have been done with any deliberate intention of offending anyone, but from the POV of the locals that would not mitigate anything.

You have to tread carefully in such different cultures. Having said that, an ex BF of my daughter's was banged up for possession of weed in strictly-Shariah-law Aceh - this was ages ago before the tsunami. He was in prison for 8 months and nearly died of dysentery, and he said the guards spent most of their days lounging around the prison yard - smoking weed. In the end his father paid a bribe of about $8000 to get him out and it became apparent that this had always been the ultimate point of the exercise.

He had previously led something of a privileged and easy life, IMO, and so it was a particularly salutary and sobering experience for him.

nobody would have known if the pictures werent all over the internet...these backwards folk are allowed to be offended on the internet...unless of course, the locals were upset due to their spying on the kids at the time.

Of course, all was well until Allah got really peed off, so a sacrifice is required.

barbarians.

Unlike reality, nothing is predictable in a religious sense until after the event and a sinner is found.

[StainlessSteelCat]

It's quite interesting from a legal perspective as Malaysian law (particularly in east Malaysia) doesn't work like our own. There are literally different laws for different people eg ethnic Chinese lasses can get away dressing far less modestly than Malay ones - and some of the traditional tribal costumes are hardly modest either (although have become more so since the widespread conversion to Christianity of, for example, the Iban). This is why on one hand, you have the likely Muslim Malay led authorities talking about a fine/custodial sentence for breach of the peace - and the relevant tribe talking about the tourists having to find heads of buffalo to appease the mountain spirits.

They won't be tried under Sharia law though (unless any of them happen to be Muslim - and I believe living in the northern region of West Malaysia).

Malaysia is generally quite a chilled out place, and an easy melting pot of people to get on with. Although there are tensions between different groups, they perhaps have done multiculturalism better than we've managed to. But certainly somewhat socially conservative (although we certainly aren't talking Saudi levels). FWIW I think the father of the British lass caught up in this is doing the right thing - stressing how sorry she is, and stupid she was. That will go a long way I think. No-one wants to put tourists off from visiting Malaysia - but the Sabah is somewhat less developed/more traditional than even other regions of Malaysian Borneo, never mind mainland West Malaysia.

[MrPin]

She doesn't look heavy enough to cause earthquakes.

[copydude]

Did the earth move for you too love?

I can tell you exactly, RK, it was a 5.9

If I was still in advertising, I'd want know what underwear she was wearing.

Imagine the commercial, she unclips the bra, trees go sideways, rocks and boulders come tumbling . . .

Probably have to shoot it in Wales though . . . somewhere enlightened . . .

[Austin Allegro]

Yes, that is possible, but stripping off would still be regarded as beyond the pale, and TBH I'd have thought an ex head girl would have had the sense to realise that. And I don't suppose that even if it was a drunken lark it would have been done with any deliberate intention of offending anyone, but from the POV of the locals that would not mitigate anything.

You have to tread carefully in such different cultures. Having said that, an ex BF of my daughter's was banged up for possession of weed in strictly-Shariah-law Aceh - this was ages ago before the tsunami. He was in prison for 8 months and nearly died of dysentery, and he said the guards spent most of their days lounging around the prison yard - smoking weed. In the end his father paid a bribe of about $8000 to get him out and it became apparent that this had always been the ultimate point of the exercise.

He had previously led something of a privileged and easy life, IMO, and so it was a particularly salutary and sobering experience for him.

He wasn't called Orlando by any chance was he?

[Captain Cavey]

It's quite interesting from a legal perspective as Malaysian law (particularly in east Malaysia) doesn't work like our own. There are literally different laws for different people eg ethnic Chinese lasses can get away dressing far less modestly than Malay ones - and some of the traditional tribal costumes are hardly modest either (although have become more so since the widespread conversion to Christianity of, for example, the Iban). This is why on one hand, you have the likely Muslim Malay led authorities talking about a fine/custodial sentence for breach of the peace - and the relevant tribe talking about the tourists having to find heads of buffalo to appease the mountain spirits.

They won't be tried under Sharia law though (unless any of them happen to be Muslim - and I believe living in the northern region of West Malaysia).

Malaysia is generally quite a chilled out place, and an easy melting pot of people to get on with. Although there are tensions between different groups, they perhaps have done multiculturalism better than we've managed to. But certainly somewhat socially conservative (although we certainly aren't talking Saudi levels). FWIW I think the father of the British lass caught up in this is doing the right thing - stressing how sorry she is, and stupid she was. That will go a long way I think. No-one wants to put tourists off from visiting Malaysia - but the Sabah is somewhat less developed/more traditional than even other regions of Malaysian Borneo, never mind mainland West Malaysia.

Sabah and Sarawak are fairly relaxed in comparison to some places on peninsula Malaysia - you can buy beer in the hut on Mnt K where you overnight before getting to the summit for sunrise, so the gods don't seem to mind that.

I suspect it's just the Muslim Bumiputera getting all righteous and indignant as usual.

The racial apartheid type laws are very strange and lead to tensions. On the east coast of the peninsula, I'd go to ethnic Chinese restaurants to have a beer, but elsewhere it's illegal. Having said that, I've been to a few Muslim weddings there and there's a lot of hip-flask activity under the table.

[MattW]

It's very rough on the girl in question, but at the same time I don't have much patience with people who show no respect for local culture or sensibilities. She surely must have known she was in a pretty pernickety Muslim country, and if she didn't, then IMO she should have.

Mrs. Bear, the voice of reason as always. I'm in complete agreement.

Muslim countries do not tolerate public nudity. Sex in public too. There was a Western couple who were imprisoned in Dubai for doing it on the beach.

One has to watch one's step when holidaying in a predominently Muslim country. My sister should be returning from Tunisia tomorrow - providing she's been on her best behaviour.

[StainlessSteelCat]

Sabah and Sarawak are fairly relaxed in comparison to some places on peninsula Malaysia - you can buy beer in the hut on Mnt K where you overnight before getting to the summit for sunrise, so the gods don't seem to mind that.

I suspect it's just the Muslim Bumiputera getting all righteous and indignant as usual.

The racial apartheid type laws are very strange and lead to tensions. On the east coast of the peninsula, I'd go to ethnic Chinese restaurants to have a beer, but elsewhere it's illegal. Having said that, I've been to a few Muslim weddings there and there's a lot of hip-flask activity under the table.

Yep, I think those areas are still majority indigenous people like the Iban - who are often Christian (with a sprinkling of older animist beliefs/traditions) - and not adverse to a drink or two while being generally quite a chilled/welcoming bunch. But equally, you wouldn't want to upset them either by dissing their customs/traditions either. As I say to the missus, the durian doesn't roll far from the tree.

[Mrs Bear]

It's quite interesting from a legal perspective as Malaysian law (particularly in east Malaysia) doesn't work like our own. There are literally different laws for different people eg ethnic Chinese lasses can get away dressing far less modestly than Malay ones - and some of the traditional tribal costumes are hardly modest either (although have become more so since the widespread conversion to Christianity of, for example, the Iban). This is why on one hand, you have the likely Muslim Malay led authorities talking about a fine/custodial sentence for breach of the peace - and the relevant tribe talking about the tourists having to find heads of buffalo to appease the mountain spirits.

They won't be tried under Sharia law though (unless any of them happen to be Muslim - and I believe living in the northern region of West Malaysia).

Malaysia is generally quite a chilled out place, and an easy melting pot of people to get on with. Although there are tensions between different groups, they perhaps have done multiculturalism better than we've managed to. But certainly somewhat socially conservative (although we certainly aren't talking Saudi levels). FWIW I think the father of the British lass caught up in this is doing the right thing - stressing how sorry she is, and stupid she was. That will go a long way I think. No-one wants to put tourists off from visiting Malaysia - but the Sabah is somewhat less developed/more traditional than even other regions of Malaysian Borneo, never mind mainland West Malaysia.

Have they really done multiculturalism better than us? We have a Swedish friend whose son has lived for years in KL, married to a Malaysian Chinese. From what I have been told there is official or semi official discrimination against Chinese in various areas - the Malays often get a better deal or opportunities. If this is wrong I would be interested to know.

[juvenal]

I have been with a fair few burds that could have caused an earthquake.

That big, were they..?