Liew receiving the invitation from Lo. Also seen are Datu Rosmadi (second from right), Suzaini (right) and Yee.
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew has extended her warm welcome to 22 contestants of the Miss Scuba International pageant.
They hail from Malaysia, the United Kingdom, United States, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Belize (a country in Central America), Australia, New Zealand, Iran, South Africa, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea.
She noted that nature has endowed the competitors with both beauty and brains.
Among the professionals are Salvina de Pacheco Kan, 28, an English teacher from Macau; Sarah Young, 28, an interior designer from New Zealand; Noelle Fuentes Uy-Tuazon, 26, an anthropologist from the Philippines; Natalia Magdalena Janoszek, 28, an author and entrepreneur from Poland; Ko Songmi, 24, a costume designer from South Korea; Leung Yan Kuen, 27, an artist from Hong Kong; and Brittany Daniels, 27, an aquatic invasive species research associate from the United States.
On Tuesday, the contestants were transferred from the Tawau Airport to Mabul Water Bungalow on Mabul Island where they will spend nine days engaging in personal training, scuba diving, attending conservation talks and participating in photo shoots and other related activities to boost their confidence level.
“Welcome to Sabah. I wish you all the best and do enjoy your stay in the Land Below The Wind. There is so much to see here, and I am sure you will bring back beautiful memories of Mabul Island and other scenic spots.
“As you play a vital role as ambassadors, it is my hope that you will help promote Malaysia, in particular Sabah, when you return to your respective countries,” said Liew who is also Member of Parliament for Tawau.
The minister has been invited to officiate at the event on Nov 17 at the Magellan Sutera Hotel.
Founder cum president of Miss Scuba International Ltd, Robert Lo said the Miss Scuba International pageant aims to raise awareness on the importance of marine conservation.
Some of the contestants arrived a week ago to undergo training in scuba diving designed to develop their passion for ocean conservation.
On Nov 14, they will leave Tawau for Kota Kinabalu for a two-day grooming session and speech therapy prior to the finals.
“The ladies will be enlightened on environmental issues under the tutelage of WWF Malaysia,” he added.
Also present were the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Datuk Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai, Sabah Tourism Board General Manager Suzaini Datuk Sabdin Ghani and tourism player Alexander Yee.
Source: Borneo Post Online
Kota Kinabalu: Kampung Rundum in Tenom has the potential to be the next best tourist destination in the interiors.
Deputy Chief Minister cum Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said her Ministry already made a study on the history of the place in 1995.
She cited "The Rundum Rebellion" or "The Rundum Uprising" led by Ontoros Antanom against the British North Borneo Chartered Company in 1915.
She said this during her winding-up speech in response to the recommendation by the Kemabong Assemblyman Jamawi Jafaar to conduct a study on Kg Rundum.
Liew said examinations on the former site of the British administration were also carried out.
"My Ministry will conduct further research for the purpose of attracting heritage tourism products," she said.
She said Rundum is also surrounded by tropical rainforest with temperature reaching 16 degrees Celsius.
"It has the potential of being developed for eco-highprofile agricultural land-based tourism," she said.
She said the beauty of the waterfall and the fishes, if managed properly by the local community, can potentially make Rundum the best eco and agro tourism destination in the interior of Sabah.
"In this regard, my Ministry has already discussed with the Tenom District Tourism Action Council and the Tenom District Tourism Association to hold a tourist awareness briefing with the community at Kg Rundum," she said.
She said to further enhance the tourism sector, her Ministry has identified the East Coast of Sabah namely Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna as a new hub of tourist destinations to be given focus.
" My ministry is aware of the need for international airports besides Kota Kinabalu.
"For that purpose, my Ministry has raised the motion to upgrade the status of Sandakan and Tawau airports as an alternative entrance for foreign tourists to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
"If this is realised, the tourism industry in the East Coast will continue to grow," she said. She said Kota Kinabalu will introduce a new event from Dec 1, this year, to attract tourists, called the "Api-Api Night Market".
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is scheduled to launch the programme which is aimed at providing opportunities for small entrepreneurs in addition to being a tourist attraction.
The programme will be held eight times a month, every Friday and Saturday, from 6pm until 2am and open to food, seasonal fruits and handicrafts traders.
On another note, she said global tourism for 2018 is expected to record a good growth at four to five percent.
She said arrival of Asian tourism is expected to record better growth at around five up to six per cent.
For the period January to September, Sabah received 308 unscheduled flights (special and extra charter) linking Sabah with 297 destinations.
As of Oct 30, this year, Sabah is connected with 24 international flights by 13 foreign airlines providing 216 flights per week.
Liew said her ministry will continue to develop Sabah's tourism sector by focusing on quality and digital marketing activities.
She also stated that her Ministry is aware of the importance of domestic tourists as the sector is more stable than international travelers who are sensitive to external factors. She was responding to the Karanaan Assemblyman Datuk Masidi Manjun's suggestion for the State tourism to focus on domestic tourism.
She said to date, the Ministry maintains 60 per cent of the domestic market and 40 per cent of the international market. "I have also directed efforts to attract domestic tourists to be enhanced through several initiatives," she said.
Among them is to collaborate with AirAsia to bring domestic Key Opinion Leaders (KoLs) from the media and social media to promote routes, namely, Kuala Lumpur-Sandakan, Tawau-Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur-Tawau and Johor Baharu-Tawau.
Her Ministry also took note of the recommendation by Masidi for them to collaborate with hotel operators in creating tour packages.
"Discussions with hotel operators to produce creative packages are being intensified," she said
On the tourism tax collected in Sabah, she said her Ministry will discuss with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for tourism purposes in Sabah.
On the proposal by Kuala Penyu Assemblyman Limus Jury on the entry of tourists to Pulau Tiga, Liew said the matter was determined by the tourism agency offering travel packages to Kuala Penyu, including to Pulau Tiga Park.
However, travel agencies ferrying tourists to Taman Pulau Tiga are encouraged to enter through Kuala Penyu town.
On the collection of entrance fees to Taman Pulau Tiga collected by Sabah Parks, she said the money is used to cover the cost of park operations.
The total collection fees is only RM216, 000 in a year.
"This amount is only about 28 per cent of the total operating and maintenance costs of the Park which reaches RM780,000 a year, excluding staff's salary and allowance of 24 people," she explained. - Sherell Jeffrey
Photo Source: Christina Liew FB Page
Source: Daily Express
