15Feb

Sunda pangolin now totally protected in Sabah

SANDAKAN: The Sunda pangolin has been upgraded to a totally protected species in Sabah, and joins the ranks of the Orangutan, Sun Bear and several other iconic species found in the state. Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said this meant that it was forbidden to hunt, consume or sell pangolins or their parts and offenders could face the maximum penalty as provided for in the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997. “The document to upgrade the protection status of pangolins has been approved by the Sabah State Cabinet,” he said in a speech at the launch of a pangolin sculpture at the Sandakan Airport here today. The text of his speech was read out by Assistant Minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi, who launched the sculpture built from recycled polycarbonate advertising boards and used bottles. Masidi said one of the biggest challenges in pangolin conservation was that very little was known about “this highly secretive and elusive creature”. He said that for millions of years, pangolins have evolved and adapted to enable them to remain undetected and were often found in low densities based on camera trapping studies. This made them rarely seen and particularly difficult to study, leading scientists to believe this species was in significant danger of extinction, he said. Despite the existence of wildlife laws in different countries, poaching and illegal trafficking of wildlife species still persisted, he said. “The general trend today indicates that elephants, rhinos and pangolins are the most poached species primarily for their ivory, horn and scales, respectively. “Certainly, the threat to pangolins has become very serious in the past five years. Pangolins are a very vulnerable species and are hunted,” he said. Masidi said pangolin scales and meat were in high demand in Asian markets for their supposedly miraculous healing properties. He stressed that local communities could play a positive role in helping to curb the illegal wildlife trade. On the pangolin sculpture at the airport, he said the collective effort of Future Alam Borneo, Danau Girang Field Centre and Malaysia Airports Berhad in showcasing the sculpture was important in raising awareness on wildlife in the state. He said it was timely for the NGOs to work with Malaysia Airports to combat wildlife crime and send a message that humans and wildlife must co-exist. He hoped that the NGOs would maintain the momentum in raising awareness on illegal wildlife trade and continue to assist enforcement efforts to curb illegal wildlife trade. The sculpture, at the entrance to the departure hall, was built by Japson Wong of JF Production. – Bernama. Source: Borneo Post Online
By Inside KePKAS, , Comments Off
Read more...
15Feb

Kudat getting 2,000 visitors every month

Kudat: State Special Tasks Minister Datuk Seri Teo Chee Kang strongly believes that Kudat's tourism will take off in the next few years in view of the great tourism potential of the district. Teo, who is also Tanjong Kapor Assemblyman, said the development of resorts and hotels, as well as island tourism, would flourish and attract more investors to Kudat in the future. "In view of the demand, the Government should facilitate such developments and have a comprehensive planning in place. "I hope entrepreneurs in Kudat will seize the opportunities in the tourism sector as well." He said Kudat's economy was driven by the fishing, aquaculture and agriculture industries. He stressed that Kudat was actively promoting its tourism industry in the last few years. "At present, more than 2,000 tourists visit Kudat every month, mostly foreigners from China and western countries," he said after officiating at the opening of Kudat Fish Farm Restaurant operated by Kim Men Seafood Supplier and Aquaculture, here, Friday. The restaurant is located at Kampung Tambakan, 10 minutes by boat from Marina Jetty Kudat. The restaurant can accommodate up to 60 customers. Tourists can also snorkel and swim at the fish farm. Kim Men Seafood Supplier and Aquaculture has established partnership with Times Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd and Wasai Travel and Tour Sdn Bhd to promote the fish farm as a tourist attraction. Teo said Kudat has created unique tourism products such as fish farms. He said aquaculture was very popular in the district owing to its high quality seawater. He said the fish farm operators leveraged on their aquaculture business and transformed it into a tourism product. "Fish farms may not be attractive to the people of Kudat or Sabahans but foreign tourists love them. Some Chinese tourists even told me that they would return to visit the fish farm again." Earlier, Teo said Kudat was blessed with beautiful natural scenery and crystal clear seawater. He said there were 50 islands in Tun Mustapha Marine Park and he had visited several of the islands, including Balambangan Island, Banggi Island and Maliangin Island, all offering unique natural views and geographical terrain. For instance, he said tourists could find limestone in the shape of a frog, mouse and even bitter gourd at the limestone caves on Balambangan Island. "Our main challenge now is to improve basic infrastructure. We only have a simple jetty going to the cave while the facilities in the cave are also in need of an upgrade. "In spite of that, we still attract a lot of tourists." Teo added that the beautiful beaches and islands in Kudat also offer scuba diving and snorkelling activities. He said Kudat also features rich cultures such as the Rungus and Bajau ethnic groups. He said Rungus has unique costumes and handicrafts that are popular among foreign tourists. "Rungus has a gong factory and Rungus handicraft village, while the bee farm in Sikuati produces high quality honey. "We encourage tour operators to offer packages to northern Sabah, which I believe can attract more tourists to Kudat," he said. Also present were Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Pang Yuk Ming, Kudat District Officer Sapdin Ibrahim, Kudat councillor Johnny Wong, Political Secretary to the Minister of Special Tasks, Peter Chong, Liaison Secretary to the Minister of Special Tasks, Albert Kok, Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) Sabah Chapter Chairman cum Times Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd Managing Director Lawrence Wong, MCTA Sabah Chapter Vice Chairman Shim Vun Ming, Wasai Travel and Tour Sdn Bhd director Jonathan Wong, Kim Men Seafood Supplier and Aquaculture owner Choong Kin Men and Kota Kinabalu Journalists Association (KKJA) Chairman Yong Ted Phen. Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , Comments Off
Read more...
31Jan

Kota Marudu sculptor expresses “hope” through art

Art is inherently beautiful. And art made by local artist contains invaluable intimations and perceptions of occasions, circumstances, and societies, writes Vesta Vanessa Jsol. Visitors who visit the on-going ‘The 300 Exhibition – Chapter II’ at Sabah Art Gallery will definitely be amazed by hundreds of wonderful artwork, especially those ten tiny boat sculptures made from iron. Neatly arranged around the exhibition hall on the first floor, the dark-silvered coloured sculptures seem like they are telling something – an untold story. Curious to know what is behind those ‘boats,’ this New Sabah Times reporter decided to find and interview its sculptor, Rayner Goluhing. “Hope,” the 29-year-old artist answered when asked about the theme of his creation. Rayner who hails from Kota Marudu, said that those boats represent hope in people’s daily life. “Every single day, each one of us might face different difficulties in our life. As an artist, I see that we (people) are swimming in the vast ocean, tired against the waves, longing for shelter and that boat will be our last hope to survive. “I purposely create it in ten units with different sizes and shapes, symbolizing people’s hopes huge or small, strong or fragile.” He took about a month to finish the ‘boats’ series. “It’s not that hard to produce, but it does take time to finish.” Currently, he is working with Sabah Handicraft Centre (Keningau). His love of iron sculpture started since his childhood but only took it seriously in 2009 after he received an offer to further his studies in Bachelor of Creative Arts at a local university. “These few years of my life were surrounded by pieces of iron, sprockets, barbed wire and fences that I turned into art. Some of the artworks were used as decorations in office lobbies, some hung here at the art exhibition hall and some ended up as house decorations. “Sculpting is fun, especially with pieces which have been tossed out and deemed no longer of value. I found beauty in discarded pieces of metal. “I thanked God for giving me a wife who loves art too,” he quipped. Rayner and his two colleagues, Roslan Yusof, 42, and Alfred Paladius, 30, represented Sabah Handicraft Centre (Keningau) to exhibit their creations. Roslan showcased batik painting themed ‘Sabah Nature’, while Alfred presented a series of drawings entitled ‘Valley.’ However, their artworks are just parts of the exhibition. There are more attractions that can be found by visiting the hall in person. In the exhibition opening ceremony held recently, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun said that locals need to support home-grown artists in order to ensure the continuity of the local art scene. He said that the lack of support for local artists may hinder their motivation to create fine masterpieces. “If we do not support our local talents, they will feel demotivated and our local art scene may face the risk of dying out. Give them encouragement so they can do better in the future and continue making art.” Masidi added that locals should not only attend art exhibitions, but purchase the works of local artists as they are valuable in the long run. “Many works produced by our local artists are of high quality. It is never a loss to invest in high quality artworks because its value only increases with time.” He also reminded artists not to be easily demotivated by the lack of support, as it is all part of their journey in the field. “We have a lot of talented artists, but we always underestimate their talents. We are more willing to spend thousands on foreign artworks when the quality of those artists may not be on par with our local talents. “I urge local artists to always keep your heads high whenever people doubted you for they are road bumps that you have to face in reaching your full potential.” Following the success of its first installation in 2015, The 300 Exhibition – Chapter II features 300 artworks of 30 local artists from around Sabah. Themed ‘Bawah Bayu,’ featured artworks will be exhibited for three months at the gallery. Sabah Art Gallery curator Jennifer Linggi said the theme was intended to promote Sabahan culture and heritage, which would inadvertently boost tourism in the state. She also expressed hope that the exhibition will encourage more local artists to take part in Sabah’s art programmes to increase credibility in management and implementation. “This programme also mirrors the determination of local artists in organising academic art-related events,” she added. Artworks featured at The 300 Exhibition – Chapter II are for sale at RM300 a piece.   Source: New Sabah Times
By Inside KePKAS, , , Comments Off
Read more...
29Jan

Renewable energy way forward

Kota Kinabalu: Developing renewable energy or alternative energy sources is the way forward towards meeting future energy needs, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman. "The State Government believes the practice of conserving energy through sustainable and efficient consumption of electricity should be carried out for the survival of the next generation," he said. He said the National Green Technology launched in 2009 has four pillars – energy, environment, economy and social. "For the energy sector, the key challenge is to increase renewable energy resources and efficiently use energy. "The challenge is the extinction of energy sources such as gas and coal, thus the management of energy resources must be diversified taking into account renewable energy sources in our country's electricity generation systems," he said. Musa, who was represented by Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Infrastructure Development Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, said this when officiating the two-day Sustainable Energy Convention, here, Thursday. He further said the people should also be educated and given awareness on how important energy efficiency and optimum use is because it saves the environment and saves cost. "This is the best way to reduce the production of carbon dioxide as well as save on the volume of its use. "Environmental sustainability needs to be taken seriously in the interest of all. Energy generation is one of the biggest contributors to climate change through the fossil burning process. "Additionally, the upgrading and lifestyle of the community also witness the increase in energy needs, especially electricity and other fossil fuels, thus the people are advised to adopt more environmentally friendly lives in order to preserve the environment," he said. Musa also applauded Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) for organising the convention which he described as timely as it promotes sustainable use of energy to improve the quality of life of the people. He also urged SESB to improve the electricity supply system to drive development in the State. In this regard, he hoped cooperation between SESB and other interested parties would find a holistic approach to develop renewal energy to reduce the impact of fossil fuel in future. Meanwhile, Pairin told a media conference the convention will discuss about energy and what can be done to make sure energy is sustainable. "This should be what we are here for to ensure that we come up with more sustainable energy and less use of fossils from the ground that has been used since long ago to generate energy. "We are always reminded so that our country also takes part in programmes to reduce carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. "I think what we are emphasising here is to come up with more energy produced from natural creation, from the sun, rivers, water which has no pollution but can produce sustainable energy. "If we can do this, it is very important, now we are thinking of…we are already producing electrical mobile vehicles, we are also working on producing power from water…all this is for future needs of the world, humans, life and ensure our environment can be sustained for the future," he said. Also present were Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili, State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, and State Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Radin Malleh, among others. – Sherell Jeffrey   Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , , Comments Off
Read more...
26Jan

Estimated RM7.7bil in tourism revenue last year

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah should not be comfortable with the increase in tourist arrivals as there are still problems that need attention to ensure the industry's growth said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun. Masidi said two days ago he had mentioned that currently there are 14 foreign airlines travelling from overseas to Kota Kinabalu and 178 flights per week which clearly shows the growing number of flights which is believed to have overtaken Penang. "The forecast for total arrivals to Sabah for 2017 is very good. We are expecting the final number for last year's arrivals very soon which will be around 3.65 million, bringing an estimated value of RM7.7 billion – the best so far for Sabah," he said. However, he said the numbers should not be taken as rate of success but instead into something profitable for the State, especially for the tourism industry. "Numbers does not mean success. Numbers must be transferred into something profitable for everyone, for MAS and for Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB)," he said during the Welcoming Dinner of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Airbus A350XWB, here, Tuesday. He also said that the Kota Kinabalu International Airport is one of the most profitable airport in the country. International flights, especially from the North, usually arrive after midnight but due to the lack of working Immigration officers after 12am, there will be long queues for immigration clearance. "We need to increase the numbers of immigration officers to work at the airport after 12am," he added. Masidi said that the State Government is pushing aggressively alongside the Sabah Tourism Board to establish more hotels to cater for the tourist influx, especially from the North as it would hurt the image of the State's tourism if not taken seriously. "We have to fix this problems because when room are scarce, it would also give the wrong impression to overseas visitors and they would opt for another destination," he said. Following the rural tourism that was launched last year, he reminded locals to produce more products that could only be discovered in Sabah as it would be one of the main attractions for visitors to come to the state aside from taking part in the "lung-cleansing" activities by visiting rural areas such as Kadamaian, Ranau, Tambunan and Kiulu. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, MAS launched its new A350XWB by flying it to Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur. The aircraft will serve the London route, replacing the A380, from Jan 15 on a scheduled basis. Chief Commercial Officer Arved Von Zur Muehlen said that the new aircraft will be conducting the route as it is a more economical aircraft and has ordered six more which will be expected to be delivered by the second half of this year. - Jeremy S Zabala   Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , Comments Off
Read more...