23Apr

Masidi: Military tourism next for KK

KOTA KINABALU: The State government will work together with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) to make military tourism as another tourism product in Sabah. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that the RMN’s Eastern Fleet based in Sepanggar, near here, has become a permanent feature in Kota Kinabalu and is an attraction. Speaking at a press conference at the RMN Freedom of Entry to Kota Kinabalu ceremony at Lintasan Deasoka (city square) here yesterday, he said that the State government will discuss with RMN Eastern Fleet to expand the ceremony which was last held in 2009, to a yearly event. The two-day event was clearly attracting local visitors as well as foreign tourists, and has contributed to the local economy. “We will see how the navy can play a bigger role in tourism in the city, and what sort of allocation the government can provide so they can organise such events more often. “We would also support the RMN to get closer to the public so the public may see them more like friends instead of only cannons and guns,” he said. Meanwhile, Eastern Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Datuk Syed Zahiruddin Putra Syed Osman said that the Eastern Fleet is expanding in terms of its personnel and assets and is becoming synonymous with the city. He said that Kota Kinabalu may one day be known as naval city like Lumut in Perak or San Diego in the United States. According to him, it has also been playing a role in military tourism in the city when its base in Sepanggar became a favourite stop for foreign navies around the world. “This year alone, five foreign naval fleets visited the base including from Australia, Japan, South Korea and USA, carrying some 3,000 personnel who shopped and dined in the city. “This number does not include their family members who sometimes fly over to the city to join them when they have a stop over,” he said. Freedom of Entry is an old military tradition dating back to the ancient Rome where soldiers were banned from entering the city unless they won a battle. The soldiers needed special permission to enter the ancient city, and thus giving of honour ceremony evolved to the modern and entirely ceremonial Freedom of Entry. The RMN Freedom of Entry to Kota Kinabalu was ceremoniously given to Eastern Fleet commander by City Mayor, Datuk Yeo Boon Hai. Syed Zahiruddin also invited members of the public to attend the navy open day at Sepanggar Naval Base on April 28 and 29 where they could board the naval vessels including the submarines and other assets. “It is not easy to enter the base for civilians on normal day but during the open day this weekend, everyone is invited and they can see for themselves what we have in the base,” he said. Source: New Sabah Times
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23Apr

Transformation for 1Borneo

KOTA KINABALU: Globa City’s high street project is poised to transform the locally frequented 1Borneo Hypermall into an international tourist and local hotspot in Sabah, if not Malaysia. The man managing the whole project here, G Globa City Sdn Bhd project operations director, K K Tham, said, the Globa Festival Street is a one-stop centre focused on cultural and shopping experience that is missing in the state. “Look around here, there are a lot of locals here. What they intend to do is to bring the tourists here,” he said at the Globa offi ce commencement ceremony and investors tour at 1Borneo Hypermall here yesterday. “Now we have already started with some renovation on our souvenir centre. Our souvenir centre is around 60 units of shop lots in this shopping mall. We also started (renovations) on our restaurant, bistro, food and beverage (outlets). “We try to make it easy for our tourists because there are four hotels in front there. We have got over 900 rooms in the hotels. That means, overall in the 1Borneo here per day, we have got over few thousand tourists in this shopping mall. “I think these are the facilities that the tourists need, this is also a very good opportunity for all the tenants in the mall here, to bring up our tourism industry here. Now that we have already started, we will try to open end of June. “We will try to finish the first stage of our Global Festival Street before this December. We try to catch it before Christmas. This entire street, we put very important elements inside, which are cultural ones that will bring some Chinese culture and also various local Sabah culture into the makings of the theme for the street,” he explained. Tham said, his ultimate goal is not only focused on tourism and business development in Sabah. He elaborated that there are local investors but the major Chinese investments will bring in the capital for the Globa City project, and create business opportunities as well as employment for the local people. “We are doing this with hopes that the Sabah Tourism Board, and the local people surrounding us will actually give us support on this because we are actually promoting Sabah,” said Tham. “We hope that we will bring more investments to Sabah, not only tourists but also business to grow together with Sabah, economically, business-wise, and also cultural side. “We are moving forward gradually. We have investment tours on a monthly basis. We will keep bringing in more. This is not the fi rst one. The fi rst was held in January, and this is the second. “Total Chinese investment in Malaysia is worth USD320 billion and we hope that with our efforts, we can put in more investments from China into Malaysia. I hope that these (investments) can all come to Sabah,” he added. Globa City executive director, Scott Lim, said around 100 people from China came to tour the project, which also consists of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and cafe yesterday. “We will bring all the people who will invest in Sabah and who come at the same time for shopping and holiday. The government of China is very supportive in doing the tourism,” said Scott. The company’s executive director, Chen Ji Zong, who hails from China, added that most tourists are unaware of the historical background of China. “Most of the tourists who come to Sabah doesn’t know how Sabah exists, doesn’t know the history of it, doesn’t know the culture at all. So what we are trying to do is to make sure that we create a street and let people understand the Sabah culture and its history. Also at the event was executive director, George Lim. Source: The Borneo Post
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23Apr

Rickshaws make debut at Likas Park

KOTA KINABALU: Decked out with flashing lights and cartoon characters, accompanied by on-board rhythmic music, the power-assisted richshaws are adding a robust and loud entrance to the Teluk Likas (or Likas Bay Park) esplanade in Kota Kinabalu. The new tourist attraction was launched on April 18, with 12 rickshaws operated by Galaxy Nite Ride. Its manager, Khairiel Anuar Addnan said the rickshaws are a unique attraction here and should be promoted among local and foreign tourists. Speaking to New Sabah Times, he said the operation is approved by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) which manages the esplanade where locals picnic and enjoy the use of the several kilometer-long cycling and jogging track. “We have Beca Melaka (driver + 2 adult + 1 children), Beca Kodok (4 riders + 2 children), Swan or Shark (2 riders + 2 passengers) and Duo Bike (2 riders). “However, for the Beca Melaka, it is only available until the end of this month, as we are only renting it from Melaka. Prices are between RM30 to RM40 per session (depends on the type of bicycle character). “The route starts from Anjung Perdana heading towards Taman Awam Teluk Likas and back. “We are opened by 5pm until 11pm daily and welcome the public to enjoy the ride,” he said, adding that those who wish to try the beca are urged to come early and buy their ticket at the counter, next to the Anjung Perdana Food Court. In conjunction with its launching, Galaxy Nite Ride also held a promotion where guests can redeem RM5 at their ticketing counter by showing their best photos with #galaxyniteride #becasabah hashtag on their FB / Instagram wall. Winners of the hashtag contest will stand a chance to win an IPhone X. Promotion ends on May 18 while photo hashtag contest ends at Oct 18, 2018. Both contests are subject to terms and condition. Likas Bay Park was opened to the public in December 2008. It has children’s playground, fitness stations, nicely paved pedestrian pathway, plaza, gazebos (resting huts), public toilets and car parks. Source: New Sabah Times
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20Apr

200 villas at Sipadan resort

TAWAU: Sabah Green Development Sdn Bhd aims to increase tourist influx to Sabah’s east coast, especially Tawau and Sandakan, by building 200 units of villas at Sipadan Mangrove Resort, Sungai Burong, Kalumpang. Since the signing of a MoU between Sabah Green Development and Great Living Fortune on March 26, 2018 in Sandakan to build the 200 villas at Sipadan Mangrove Resort, a milestone has been reached where the ground-breaking ceremony was held yesterday to build 50 wellness villas that can host up to 220 guests. The project is the first phase as part of Sabah East Coast Tourism Belt initiative to achieve more high standard accommodation for tourists. The company also plans to build other villas of different designs in Sandakan and Silam, Lahad Datu. Sabah Green Development CEO John Nip said most of the villa units are expected to be sold to China tourists and the sale will start around the beginning of May as the 50 villas are scheduled for completion by July. To achieve this, he said, the company signed a MoU with Great Living Fortune, a villa builder and marketing agent from China as the company targets to sell most of its unit to China. He said that with the China builder’s expertise, a villa structure could be assembled within 7-10 days and the company hopes to build a showroom and announce sales by mid May this year. Though the main target is China buyers, the units are also for interested local buyers as investment, where buyers are entitled to one month stay per year while the rest of the months will be for lease with unit owners getting 70 percent of the profits. With the villas in place as accommodation, the company aims to make Sipadan Mangrove Resort as an alternative gateway to Semporna’s Mabul Island, Mataking Island and Tun Sakaran Marine Park. The resort, which is self-sufficient using renewable energy from solar power, biomass and wind turbines, will see the highly innovative and highly sustainable development project having a low impact on the environment with villas built along the canal and along the land.
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17Apr

Move on Kinabalu Geopark on track

Kota Kinabalu: An approximately 3,500 square kilometre site involving the districts of Ranau, Kota Marudu and Kota Belud is expected to be declared as a National Geopark by this year and as a Unesco Global Geopark by 2020. The move is said to be on track according to the roadmap. A workshop on Aspiring Kinabalu Geopark to prepare various heritage components (geological, biological and cultural) for dossier of the proposed site was held at Kinabalu Park on Friday to ensure the aspiration of the State and Federal governments to declare Kinabalu Park and its surrounding as a Unesco Global Geopark. The workshop was facilitated by Prof Emeritus Dato' Dr Ibrahim Komoo, Prof Che Aziz, Prof Dr Felix Tongkul and Dr Dana Badang from Malaysia National Geopark Implementation Committee. Key stakeholders such as Sabah Parks, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Sabah Forestry Department, Department of Agricultures, Department of Mineral and Geosciences, District Offices of Ranau, Kota Marudu and Kota Belud. Sabah Cultural Board, Sabah Tourism Board and Sabah Museum Department were given assurance of their involvement in the process. Declaration of Kinabalu Geopark as a Unesco Global Geopark will create value and enhance socio-economic development of the people of Sabah. Source: Daily Express
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