Kota Kinabalu: A tour guide suffered a broken nose after being assaulted by a boatman for advising him against feeding wild monkeys during a river cruise in Kota Belud.
The victim, known only as Alex, was guiding a group of Chinese tourists at Kawa-Kawa when he noticed a boatman feeding cakes to long-tailed macaques along the riverbanks.
He advised the boatman to stop, citing Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) guidelines and warning that human food makes the macaques aggressive, posing safety risks to tourists in a remote location.
The boatman allegedly ignored the advice, claimed it was his right to feed the animals, and verbally confronted the guide.
Upon returning to the jetty, the boatman and several men pursued the guide's vessel, boarded it, and allegedly attacked him with a sharp object while demanding an apology.
To protect his terrified guests, Alex apologised profusely before lodging a formal report with the Kota Belud police.
Airworld Travel and Tour chairman Winston Liaw Ket Siong condemned the intimidation, warning that such acts severely damage Sabah's tourism image, and urged the police, the Tourism Ministry, and the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) to take firm action and improve boatman education.