24Aug

Mooncake Festival joy at Gaya Street, Foh Sang

Kota Kinabalu: The annual Mooncake Festival celebrations will be a grand event and held in two areas - Gaya Street and Foh Sang - this year, said Luyang Assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe. The Mooncake Festival programme will be held at Gaya Street on Sept 29 and Foh Sang on Oct 5. "The event will be co-organised by the Kota Kinabalu MP's Office, Likas and Luyang Assemblyman Office, City Hall, Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) and United Sabah Chinese Communities Association (USCCA). He said this during a press conference at City Hall, Thursday. Phoong said the main organiser in charge for the Gaya Street celebrations is USCCA while Satta will be in charge of the Luyang celebrations. He said it has been years since the last time the Mooncake Festival was celebrated on a large scale. "The stage performances and entertainment side in Luyang will be handled by Satta while the festival night market will be handled by City Hall. "Information on other aspects of the festival, including the renting of stalls will be handled by City Hall." He said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal will be invited to officiate both events. Phoong said the Gaya Stree Mooncake Carnival will include a lantern procession and also a night market. On why Satta was handling the Foh Sang celebrations, Phoong said it has always been his hope that Satta would help promote Foh Sang to Chinese tourists visiting Kota Kinabalu. "Since the KK tourism industry is booming, we hope they can bring a little bit more tourists to visit Foh Sang as well to experience the local Chinese lifestyle and cuisine there." Meanwhile, USCCA President Datuk Susan Wong said the Gaya Street event on Sept 29 event will feature the Big Autumn Tanlung (lantern) competition which is divided into four groups. "These are the primary school category, secondary school category, a category among our 15 Chinese community associations and the last is the open category with attractive cash prizes for the winners," she said. Wong added that the main event will be a parade along Gaya Street at night to entertain the public with other activities being singing and dancing performances on the stage. "As the event is to celebrate the Mooncake Festival, there will be a mooncake cutting event." Satta President Dato Seri Winston Liaw called on the public to support the event at Foh Sang. "There will be a variety of entertainment activities such as shows and also lantern competition as well and is also the time to share the Chinese culture to all." Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai said City Hall is happy to get the opportunity to do the project together with the celebration co-organisers to make Kota Kinabalu a more interesting and liveable city for its residents and visitors. Also present was Likas Assemblyman Tan Lee Fat. - Neil Chan Source: Daily Express Online
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15Aug

Flagging off Unduk Ngadau delegates Mount Kinabalu Climb

YB Christina Liew together with the delegates of Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan at the flag off. Winner of this year's Sabah Unduk Ngadau, Hosiani James Jaimis, first runner up, Sherrylyn Pailus together with Unduk Ngadau committee chairperson, Joanna Kitingan were among the delegates for the climb on the 12 August 2018. YB Christina Liew  melepaskan delegasi Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan Sabah pada 12 Ogos 2018. Pendakian itu disertai pemenang Unduk Ngadau tahun ini, Hosiani James Jaimis, naib johan Sherrylyn Pailus dan pengerusi penganjur Unduk Ngadau Joanna Kitingan.   
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14Aug

Preserve and capitalise on cultural wealth: Shafie

Tuaran: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the State's cultural wealth should be preserved and fully capitalised on. "The culture in Sabah is a wealth which should not only be celebrated or showcased each year as a tourism product but also should be passed down to the next generation," he said when officiating the State-level International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples celebration in Kiulu, near here, Thursday. "Culture is an art which needs to be appreciated as it can be an international attraction. "Indigenous people should preserve their customs and lifestyles. We must be proud to showcase our culture like the traditional costumes." The State's assets, he said, should not only be focused on timber or oil and gas. "Culture is a wealth and it is inside us but we never make full use of it. As such, it is very important to preserve it," he said. Mohd Shafie also said the inaugural State-level International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples celebration was historical. It was held, he said, in conjunction with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) where Malaysia was one of the signatory countries. In 1985, the United Nation's Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) established the Working Group on Indigenous People (WGIP) to draft a special rights guideline to protect indigenous people. The draft was eventually endorsed on Sept 13, 2007 and known as UNDRIP – a minimum standards to preserve the existence, dignity and wellbeing of the world's indigenous peoples. "In 2007, I represented the Malaysian Government to the UN and brought along the Orang Asli from Pahang." Celebrations such as the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Shafie said, must be celebrated together to appreciate the State's diverse ethnic groups. "I hope it will be held annually not only to celebrate the UNDRIP but also to attract tourists and to help the local small entrepreneurs. "They can promote their traditional costumes, food and dance…such effort should be encouraged," he said, adding that the celebration should not only emphasise on the local culture but also the products. Meanwhile, Shafie assured that the State Government will continue to protect the rights of Sabah's indigenous people. "I am confident that the Government is able to protect the rights of the indigenous people in the State and that is why we created the Native Law and Affairs Ministry to handle rights issues such as land, custom and culture, among others. "If there is a need to create new laws regarding these issues, then we will do it," he said. Also present were Deputy Chief Minister cum Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau and Sabah Cultural Board Chairman Tan Sri Wences Angang. - Ricardo Unto Source: Daily Express Newspaper Online
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14Aug

Boosting S’pore-kk connectivity

Kota Kinabalu: Malindo Air celebrated its inaugural direct flight from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) on Friday. The flight is part of the airline's continuous effort to expand its network in the region. Malindo Air Flight OD831, operated by a Boeing 737NG aircraft, departed Changi Airport at 12.40pm and arrived at KKIA at 3.05pm. The flight was greeted by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai, who together with senior Sabah Tourism Board (STB) officials welcomed the arrival of 65 passengers. Speaking to reporters, Datu Rosmadi said the State Government through the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry welcomed the launching of direct flights from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu to further enhance tourism in the State. "Although the number of passengers on the first day was only 65, I am confident it will increase from time to time and on the part of the Ministry, we will help promote the direct flight," he said. He hoped the airline would launch more direct flights to the State in the future to further develop tourism which is very important to Sabah. Chandran Rama Muthy, CEO of Malindo Air, said they are thrilled to start the flight. "This is our second direct flight from Singapore to Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur. "This new service will provide a premium option for the two-hour-25-minute journey. We hope to attract more visitors to Malaysia and enhance awareness of our network beyond Kota Kinabalu, as we are currently offering direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Guangzhou, Changsha, Chengdu and Zhengzhou in China, and we will have Nanning, Tian Jin and Xi'an soon," he added. Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airports, Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin, said the new route from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu by Malindo Air will boost connectivity in East Malaysia. "Known for its famous offerings of seafood and tourist attractions, Kota Kinabalu has a lot of room to grow in tourism. We strongly believe that Malindo Air's choice of this new route will significantly contribute to the increase in passengers at KKIA and in turn strengthen our aim to make Malaysia a global hub." Flight OD830 from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore will depart KKIA at 9.15am and arrive at 11.40am. The fares include 25kg (economy class) and 40kg (business class) baggage allowance, snacks on board and spacious legroom. The narrow body Boeing 737 NG aircraft which has 12 business and 150 economy seats is deployed on this route. - Neil Chan Source: Daily Express Newspaper Online
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