Borneo Eco Film Festival (BEFF)

YB Datuk Masidi Manjun menerima kunjungan hormat daripada penganjur Borneo Eco Film Festival (BEFF) pada 17 januari 2012 bertempat di pejabat menteri. YB Datuk Masidi Manjun receives a courtesy visit from the organizers of the Borneo Eco Film Festival (BEFF) on 17th January 2012 at his office.
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Tourism accreditation scheme will boost industry in Sabah

The Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry has encouraged owners of business premises especially those related to tourism to participate in the Accreditation Scheme introduced to boost tourism in Sabah. Sabah Tourism Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the scheme would evaluate participating tourism players on the quality of their services and products.   “The ministry is very comfortable with the programme which will value-add the services and types of businesses that can be offered to tourists.   “The displayed certificate will draw tourists to the premises as they could expect better service and reasonably-priced items,” he said to reporters at Sinsuran, here yesterday after launching the ‘Fair Trade Tourism Select – An Accredited Outlet’ and ‘Kadaiku’ (‘my shop’ in local dialect) owned by Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd and incidentally the first outlet to be accredited.   Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir said accredited business premises would be presented with a ‘Fair Trade Tourism Select’ sticker that is valid for one year.   He said 50 business premises including shopping outlets and eateries were expected to participate in the scheme this year.   According to him, the ‘Kadaiku’ which sells handicrafts that were 100 percent locally-produced, can be the role model to promote local products that reflected the state’s ethnic and cultural diversity.   Source: Bernama
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Totally protected status for Borneo pygmy elephant

Sabah upgraded the status of Borneo pygmy elephants to totally protected species, with stiffer penalties for offenders. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said a mandatory jail sentence and higher fines awaited offenders who killed these mammals.   He said this when closing the two-day Sabah Wildlife Conservation colloquium here.   The decision to upgrade the status was based on one of the recommendations of the Borneo elephant state action plan launched on the first day of the event.   The upgrading to First Schedule Part 1 (totally protected species) carried a mandatory jail term of between six months and five years, said state Wildlife and National Parks director Dr Laurentius Ambu.   Source: New Straits Times
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Sabah Government To Impose Heavy Penalties On Shark Hunters

The Sabah government will impose heavy penalties on shark hunters from this year, said state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun. Masidi said shark hunters would face a mandatory jail sentence for up to three years and a fine of at least RM30,000 or both under the Fisheries Act.

"This is to save the endangered animal species from depletion. There are various types of sharks out there which require more protection," he said at the closing of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Colloquium 2012, here, Tuesday.

Masidi was previously reported to have said that shark hunting was expected to be illegal in Sabah by early this year.

He said the ministry also decided to implement one of the recommendations of the State Action Plan for conservation of Bornean elephants which officially upgraded the status of the Bornean elephant as protected species in Sabah.

"The Species Action Plan is implemented particularly for the conservation and rehabilitation of Sabah's three iconic species -- the orang utan, the Borneo pygmy elephant and the Sumatran rhinoceros.

"The Sabah government and especially my ministry will do everything in our power to help implement the three Species Action Plans and to promote the establishment of wildlife corridors to enable our flagship species to meet and breed," Masidi said.

Source: Bernama

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Start with chartered flights, Masidi tells Sabah Air

Sabah Air can start with chartered flights or engage strategic partners prior to running a full-fledged airline due to the complexity involved. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun suggested that Sabah Air should begin with chartered flights as it was an easier alternative to get the feel on how to run an airline.   His second suggestion, that is to engage strategic partners, will allow the company to run the airline with people with expertise.   Masidi was commenting on Sabah Air chairman Datuk Yusoff Mohd Kasim’s recent announcement that Sabah Air was looking at serving regional routes such as to Korea, Japan and Australia.   “Although it is a good concept, the process is complicated, starting with buying or leasing an aircraft.   “Buying an aircraft is not easy because there are only a few manufacturers in the world – Airbus and Boeing, and the waiting period is five years,” he said in an interview after officiating at a book launch here yesterday.   In addition, he said most leased aircraft were used ones.   Masidi also cautioned Sabah Air that there were more airlines losing money than making a profit worldwide.   For instance, airlines who do make money include Singapore Airlines while those expanding at a very fast rate are Middle Eastern companies such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways, he said.   The minister meanwhile welcomed Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to have another discussion and find a better solution rather than cutting routes.   “I believe tentatively that they have read all the comments in the paper and they are disturbed with the reaction from Sabahans.   “I have a reason to believe they may now want to reopen another talk with us in Sabah which I’m more than welcome,” he said.   MAS recently announced the suspension of four direct flights from Osaka, Haneda, Seoul and Perth beginning early this year.   On travel agents’ reluctance to sell Sabah tour packages in Japan due to the suspension of the route by MAS, Masidi said the previously five hours’ journey from Japan to Kota Kinabalu had increased to 12.5 hours inclusive of waiting due to MAS’s decision.   “To me, that is a good reason for MAS to rethink their current strategy,” Masidi said.   He pointed out that the Haneda route was a development route, meaning MAS was not expected to make a profit yet.   “I’m trying to impress on MAS, let’s work together and develop those routes. You may not make money now, but you will make money in the future.”   Masidi added that Sabahans with relatives and children studying in Perth were also unhappy about the suspension, while Koreans did not suffer significant impact as there are four Korean airlines serving the route to Sabah.   Source: Borneo Post (by Chok Sim Yee)
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