26Apr

Bukit Piton orang utans helped by 3-party conservation project

LAHAD DATU: A tripartite conservation efforts have led to positive improvements of the Bukit Piton Class 1 forest reserves here. The project by AEON CO. (M) BHD. together with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Malaysia) and the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) came to a conclusion yesterday and was marked by a handover ceremony. Bukit Piton, located at the northern part of the Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve, fell victim to extensive logging, unsustainable practices and forest fires, which resulted in a degraded ecosystem. In 2011, AEON CO. (M) BHD. partnered with WWF-Malaysia and SFDto restore the 77 hectares through the planting of various indigenous tree species with the hope of rebuilding habitats for orang utans. Poh Ying Loo, Executive Director of AEON CO. (M) BHD. said: “The driving force for this initiative was to restore what was once lost to loggers and natural disaster such as fire. A ripple effect from extensive logging left a hole in the ecosystem, leading to the destructive elements of nature that eventually depleted natural habitats. AEON, together with WWF-Malaysia and SFD, saw this as an opportunity to help wildlife and local communities. Together, we drove this initiative and devised a solution to restore these habitats and promote forest recovery.” In 2005, WWF-Malaysia conducted a survey which revealed the alarming decline of orang utans in the Ulu Segama district. Isolated by the Segama River and located south of the forest and oil palm plantations in the north, excessive logging brought about a habitat that deprived the orang utans from food, trees to nest and to receive shelter from adverse weather conditions, thus diminishing their survival rate. One part of the project was to recreate a thriving environment for the orang utans by planting trees such as Laran (Neolamarckia Cadamba) and Binuang (Octomeles Sumatrana) to support the weight of the orang utans, as well as to sustain nesting. Datuk Sam Mannan; Chief Conservator of Forests, Sabah Forestry Department stated: “Over the years of preservation, we have spotted more female orang utans with babies within the reserve. This is a positive sign, as it means that the orang utans now are able to source for food, breed, nest and build homes in the designated areas. In addition, the fact that the orang utans are in a natural setting means it ensures their survivability and eventually thrive in a maturing reforested area. We are very honoured to work alongside AEON and WWF–Malaysia to bring about this change for the better.” As the key driver of the initiative, AEON invested RM 500,000 and planted more than 12,000 trees since 2011. The first 1,000 trees were planted by 300 schoolchildren, Malaysia Armed Forces and AEONvolunteers towards the conservation of Bukit Piton. This is in line with its effort to extend its commitment towards the conservation of nature, and especially to protect and nurture a greener environment. AEON is committed to work towards a sustainable society with stakeholders, taking a leaf off its basic principles of “Pursuing Peace, Respecting Humanity and Contributing to Local Communities, Centred on Customers”. “We must realise that Mother Earth is our home, and if we do not take ownership to ensure that it is well-looked after, then we will have no legacy left for our next generation. Because of this, AEON is motivated to cement an initiative towards ecological sustenance by continuing to take our tree planting initiatives to the next level,” ended Poh. The handing over of the Project Site was received by Datuk Sam Mannan, the Chief Conservator of Forests of Sabah Forestry Department. This was witnessed by Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of WWF-Malaysia; Poh Ying Loo, Executive Director of AEON CO. (M) BHD.; Kenji Hata, General Manager of AEON Co. (M) BHD.; officials from the Sabah Forestry Department and AEONrepresentatives. Source: New Sabah Times
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25Apr

Lest we forget: 100 join commemoration run

KOTA KINABALU: About 100 avid runners took part in the Lest We Forget Run 2018, held simultaneously all over Australia yesterday to capture the ANZAC spirit. The 4km run started at Padang Merdeka here and ended at Kota Kinabalu City Hall compound were flagged off by deputy High Commissioner of Australia to Malaysia Michael Growder and City Hall Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai. The run which covers Jalan Padang, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Nenas and Jalan Istana was to remind the public about the Second World War atrocities of the Japanese armies who forced over 2,400 British and Australian prisoners of war (POW) to march for a torturous 160 miles from Sandakan to Ranau. The run was also to remember the allied heroes during the liberation of Sabah and to raise the public awareness that our freedom was assured by the supreme sacrifice of our fallen heroes. In Malaysia, the inaugural run was held on May 2, 2014 at Sandakan which themed ‘Remembrance of Our Fallen Heroes’. The run was to promote the War Memorial Park in Sandakan at Taman Rimba which is the actual site of the Japanese POW camp. The run also cement the bond shared between Sabah and Australia ever since the Japanese occupation 1942-45. –By Paul Mu Source: New Sabah Times
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25Apr

Boosting Pulau Udar

KOTA KINABALU: Located within the naval base here, Pulau Udar has the potential to become a tourism attraction particularly for foreign navy personnel making their port-of-call. Eastern Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Datuk Syed Zahirudin Putra Syed Osman said transforming the island into a tourism spot would require long-term planning to promote its recreational activities. “We will build more facilities in the area including adding more buildings, which can be turned into a hotel or resort as well as conference rooms and cafés,” he told reporters after launching the island’s Eco Park, today. Pulau Udar is accessible via the Sepanggar naval base, where a bridge stretching one kilometer was constructed to connect the island and the naval base. Among the activities available on the island at the moment are hiking, diving, and fishing. Visitors also have the chance to experience sailing on a traditional Bajau boat. “Perhaps, not many navy personnel visit the island or are reluctant to come because they think it is only for certain groups. “Therefore, we have decided to have an event so that all navy personnel and their family members are aware of these activities. That will encourage them to visit the island for recreational activities,” said Syed Zahirudin. He also said the navy welcomes any government agency that wishes to carry out recreational activities on Pulau Udar but a permission letter is required. He said access to the island is only limited to governmental agencies at the moment due to security regulations. Source: New Straits Times
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24Apr

Aussie students choose Sabah to experience lifestyle, culture

Kota Kinabalu: Nineteen students from Kalamunda Senior High School and Governor Stirling Senior High School of Perth, Australia chose Sabah to experience local lifestyle, culture and destination. Four teachers and two parents led the trip to accompany the students. During a hosted lunch with Sabah Tourism Board, Diane Thorn, 61, a teacher from Governor Stirling Senior High School, said: "We're lucky that the Western Australia Education Department listed Sabah as a safe destination. It took us six months to prepare the proposal, then waited another three months for approval from the Ministry." She added that the tedious approval process was relevant because the safety and security of the students are very important aspects in planning overseas trips. Sabah was chosen as a cultural learning experience for the students because most of them took Bahasa Indonesia as a foreign language in their respective schools. "There are a lot of similarities between Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malaysia so it was easy for us to understand the local language spoken here," said Conor Lyon, 13, from Governor Stirling Senior High School. Apart from Kota Kinabalu, the group took a half-day trip to Sandakan and visited Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Rainforest Discovery Centre and Sandakan Memorial Park. "Sandakan was terrific. At the Memorial Park, one of our parents, Alex, laid a wreath brought here from Australia. We also brought honky nuts, eucalyptus leaves and buds as part of our offering. I think it is a wonderful tribute to all our fallen diggers and we truly appreciate what Sabah has done," added Kuldeep Kaler, a teacher from Kalamunda Senior High School. "The Pavilion was very informative and fantastic. The kids actually stayed back to read what actually happened to the Australian diggers and Malaysian army on what they have to go through for their freedom. ANZAC has a huge impact in Perth." she added. Kaler also mentioned that a lot of people don't realise the Australian diggers were in Southeast Asia. Most students were chosen to go to Turkey through a competition for Anzac Day. The teachers and parents hope that Sabah Tourism and the Tourism Australia will have similar programmes to offer schools for the students on an Anzac holiday or ceremony. "I think we need to focus more on this site as it is easier for them to come here to represent Western Australia or their schools," said teacher Jessie Sohan. "It is a positive challenge for the students to experience Sabahan local culture as well as to try to converse in Bahasa." The group also visited Mari-Mari Cultural Village, Kinabalu Park, Poring Hot Springs, Kiulu Countryside, Tempasuk River, Nanamun River and more. Alex Stephens, a parent to one of the students, enjoyed the farm stay in Kg Tinagon Baru where the group experienced the local lifestyle of the villagers, including rubber tapping. General Manager of Sabah Tourism, Suzaini Datuk Sabdin Ghani, said: "The opportunity is there to explore the educational segment from Western Australia with the listing of Sabah as a safe destination. The direct flight from Kota Kinabalu to Perth has been maintaining well for the past years and an eight-day tour for school trip is just nice." Source: Daily Express
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24Apr

‘Solungkoi: Jambatan Tamparuli’, highlight of Sabah Fest 2018

KOTA KINABALU: Musical theatre ‘Solungkoi: Jambatan Tamparuli’ will be the highlight of this year’s Sabah Fest from May 4 to 6 at Sabah National Culture and Arts Department (JKKN) Auditorium. Succeeding eight Sabah legendary folktales, this year’s Sabah Fest musical theatre tells the story of a beautiful maiden, Solungkoi, who was caught up between love and sacrifice along the course of the famous Tamparuli bridge construction in the 1950’s. It was told that a British engineer, Robinson, was assigned to the construction during the post-colonial period to provide easier and better access for villagers, linking the North and West Coast of Sabah. However, time was testing as the bridge was continuously washed away by the river and after several failed attempts at reconstructing, a spirit medium was consulted to seek ways to build a permanent bridge in nature. Legends had it that the bridge was constructed on a sacred site and Ombuakar – the spirit known to live inside the Tamparuli River – demanded a human sacrifice as compensation. Solungkoi ended up being sacrificed; since then, despite countless flooding, the bridge stood on up until this day. “I used to frequently go to Tamparuli in the late 50s and there was an iron bridge slightly downstream after the Tamparuli bridge but it took only one big flood to sweep it away, yet the current (Tamparuli) bridge remains intact until now. “So that gives the legend, even more credibility that perhaps the reason for its unusual strength was because of its human sacrifice,” said caretaker Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Masidi Manjun in a press conference here yesterday. He added that the real drama showcased in the theatre was when Robinson, whose initial intention was to make Solungkoi fall for him only for her to be sacrificed, ended up truly falling in love with her. “It is whether your love for the lady surpasses the need for (human) sacrifice or whether your job and the need for human sacrifice means sacrificing your true love for that lady.” Starring in the musical theatre are local socialites – Hosiani Jaimis (Keewon) as Solungkoi, Dane Kovacs (Orang Putih Kita) as Robinson, Jayfrejoe Japrin (JoeJaprin) as Intang, Dayang Hasnah Ibrahim as Odu and a special appearance by Sakinah (Sakinah vs Ondu). Masidi underlined that in the effort to uphold local talents, the theatre, as it had always been, was fully managed by local artists with almost 100 per cent Malay language except for certain scenes that require English. “It was our desire to give as much opportunity to local aspiring artists to be known…we have not brought in any outsider because we believe in the creative talent of locals and that is what we had been doing over the past 30 years. “Every year we try to bring something new in Sabah Fest but the foundation is still the tradition.” Also present during the press conference were State Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry permanent secretary Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai, JKKN director Mohd Raizuli Mat Jusoh and Sabah Tourism Board general manager Suzaini Datuk Sabdin Ghani. Apart from the musical theatre, festival goers can expect to arrive early and indulge in a variety of foods from various food trucks namely Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, Shawarma Kebab, Hunger Lane, 70’s Street Kitchen and more. Other activities include the cultural show, traditional games and art gallery by JKKN, traditional cooking and colouring competitions, Bamboo orchestra by Tamparuli school, handicraft merchandise by Kadaiku and Kraftangan Malaysia, and Sabah traditional costumes dress up and exhibition by Chanteek Borneo. There will also be a contemporary fashion show which will feature modernized, wearable and functional native costumes, mostly from Ranau-based designers modelled by Mr. Kaamatan and Miss Grand Sabah. Activities will start from as early as 4pm during the whole three-day festival at JKKN where admission is free. Meanwhile, tickets for ‘Solungkoi: Jambatan Tamparuli’ are priced at RM50, available for online purchasing at www.kadaiku.com or walk-in at Sabah Tourism Board on Gaya Street or Sri Pelancongan Sabah, Sinsuran. Speaking of the expectation due to the Fest being held during the election period, Masidi was confident that it would not greatly affect the turnout as the festival takes place in the evening. “Politics is important but the most important thing is we need to motivate our young talents in Sabah to be better.” For more information, please contact Francesca Lydia Chipli at +6088-232121 or email to francesca@sabahtourism.com. Updates on Sabah Fest 2018 are available at www.hellosabah.my. Source: New Sabah Times
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