Sabah introduces new diving safety SOPs ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026

 

Sabah Dive Squad Club president Sim Fui (second from left) presents a token of appreciation to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment permanent secretary Datuk Josie Lai during a courtesy visit here yesterday. - Courtesy of Sabah Dive Squad Club

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry has established a set of safety standard operating procedures (SOPs) for scuba diving activities in the state.

The move underscores the government's commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism in the lead-up to the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign.

Sabah Dive Squad Club president Sim Fui welcomed the initiative, describing it as both timely and crucial in enhancing diver safety while supporting the state's tourism industry.

"Sabah is renowned for its beautiful diving spots from the state capital, Sepanggar, Kota Belud, Kudat, Lahad Datu, to Semporna.

"According to the Sabah Fisheries Department, the scuba diving industry has contributed over RM500 million to the state's revenue. That figure is a significant boost to Sabah's economy.

"However, it is concerning when diving accidents occur, especially those involving international visitors. Strengthening SOP compliance is essential to maintain our reputation as a world-class diving destination," he said in a statement.

Sim and the committee members from the club had paid a courtesy visit to the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Datuk Josie Lai at Wisma Tun Fuad Stephens here yesterday.

During the meeting, Lai had said that the ministry expressed its intention to release the SOP publicly soon and welcomed the club's support in educating industry stakeholders.

In line with this, the Sabah Dive Squad Club will be organising a safety and medical talk for its members on July 20, aiming to raise awareness and reinforce best practices among divers and operators.

The event follows recent incidents involving diver fatalities, some of which have been attributed to negligence.

"We welcome this collaboration with the ministry and will incorporate the updated SOPs into our upcoming safety talk.

"By engaging more stakeholders, particularly dive operators who work directly with clients, we hope to minimise diving accidents as much as possible."

-nst online.