PETALING JAYA: There will now be a greater emphasis on safety in recreational activities for tourists.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohammadin Ketapi said he would be directing all relevant agencies within his ministry to monitor safety requirements in such activities.
His statement was in response to a report that a Yemeni teenager had drowned after falling off his jet ski while attempting to take a selfie off the Cenang Beach in Langkawi on Saturday.
He also reminded all organisers of activities for the amusement of tourists, especially water-based recreation, to ensure the safety of their clients.
“We need to tighten the rules for participating in such activities to prevent a similar incident,” he said.
Mohamaddin said providers of such recreational events had to furnish more details on safety features to their clients before embarking on such activities and they had to be assertive to ensure everyone followed the rules.
“Those who wish to participate in such activities must be asked to sign a letter of undertaking (to abide by all safety precautions),” he added.
He said there had been cases when tour operators reminded the tourists of the importance of wearing safety jackets while out at sea but many still refused to do it.
Mohamaddin said that to enhance the level of security further, there should be a personnel to monitor the activities of the participants to ensure they obeyed the instructions and heeded the warnings.
He also expressed his condolences to the family of 17-year-old Al-Shabibi Ibrahim Manueer. The boy had taken off his safety jacket while standing astride the water scooter when he was hit by strong waves and fell into the sea.
Langkawi Civil Defence Force disaster operations officer Lt Azamshah Apearal said the other jet skiers saw the incident and fished him out of the water and brought him ashore.
At the beach he was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation but it failed to save him.
Langkawi district police chief Supt Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim, when contacted, said the victim was then taken to the Sultanah Maliha Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
