Malaysia deports Chinese tourists for dancing in front of mosque

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Two Chinese female tourists were fined and deported from Malaysia after they filmed a “hot dance” video in front of the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque in Sabah, Malaysia on Wednesday.

The video footage of two Chinese women identified as Wan, 25, and Zhang, 37 was widely circulated on social media and provoked outrage among netizens, especially in the Muslim majority country.

The Kota Kinabalu City Mosque in Sabah, Malaysia. /VCG Photo

The Kota Kinabalu City mosque, given the nickname of “The Floating Mosque,” is the second main mosque in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

The two women were detained by local police and fined 25 ringgits (6.2 US dollars). Later, they were escorted to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) where they flew back to China, reported Star One, a Malaysian newspaper, on Wednesday.

Screenshot of video footage

According to local police, the two women were arrested after they filmed the “hot dance” video in front of the mosque in Kota Kinabalu on June 23. The two women, who were both dance teachers, admitted that they were the individuals in the nine-second viral video.

The management committee of the mosque decided to close the holy ground to tourists on June 24 as a result of the dancing tourists, reported The Borneo Post.

Jamal Sakaran, chairman of the mosque, denounced the action of the two women as “regrettable” since the mosque had already listed rules for its visitors, following a temporary ban on tourists visiting the mosque in Sabah.

Assafal Alian, tourism, culture and environment assistant minister, said that the two tourists showed a lack of respect to the Muslim worshippers as well as the hospitality extended to them, reported Free Malaysia Today.

The two women later apologized saying they weren't aware of the rules and that the mosque was so beautiful they wanted to shoot a dance video using the mosque as the background, according to The Borneo Post.

The Consulate General of China in Kota Kinabalu released a statement concerning the issue. /Screenshot from the official website

This issue has also raised awareness of the Consulate General of China in Kota Kinabalu.

The consulate later released a statement on its official website on Tuesday, urging that Chinese tourists visiting Sabah should abide by the laws and regulations of the country, respect the local religious customs and traditions, follow the arrangements of the tour guides. Also, they should by no means touch any religious taboos and should protect the good image of Chinese tourists.