28Mar

Sabah Confident Of Getting 2.93 Million Tourists Arrivals This Year

Sabah is confident that it will achieve the target of 2.93 million in tourist arrivals this year despite facing various challenges, particularly the flight rationalisation exercise carried out by Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd. Sabah state Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun said as air transportation was a critical factor in the development of Sabah's tourism sector, his ministry would further enhance their promotional efforts in markets that offer direct flight service to Sabah such as South Korea and China. "My ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board, have also taken special measures via the Aviation Hub Strategy and identified five main regional airports that offer direct flights to Kota Kinabalu as the go-between airports, namely in Kuala Lumpur, Bandar Seri Begawan, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea," he said when winding up his ministry's debate at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly here. Masidi also said with the absence of a direct flight between Tokyo and Kota Kinabalu, the STB has placed Hong Kong, Singapore dan Seoul as the alternative route to Kota Kinabalu. Through close cooperation with three main tourist agencies in Japan, namely H.I.S. Travel, Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) and SMI Holidays, it expects to market Sabah in the Japanese market using the Cathay Pacific airline company. For the Australian market meanwhile, he said the STB had drafted a special promotional plan together with the Singapore Airlines and promoted the special flight packages to Singapore and Kota Kinabalu during a recent exhibition in Perth. Source: Bernama
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28Mar

Sabah Tourism Ministry urges villages to join homestay programmme

Villages with potential have been urged to join the homestay programme to help people in rural areas earn additional income. Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the ministry is working with Malaysian Tourism Ministry, Homestay Association; public and private agencies to further promote the programme. “Information on this programme is forwarded to all district offices for dissemination to the public,” he said when replying to Abdul Muis Picho (BN-Sebatik) in the state assembly here today. So far, 17 homestay projects have been established in Sabah involving 25 villages with 230 participants providing 438 rooms for tourist accommodation. Masidi said following complaints, the ministry conducted checks and found that 28 premises had abused the homestay label. “Owners of the premises were reprimanded and briefed on the true meaning of homestay as the programme involves the local community. “Therefore, the use of the word ‘homestay’ by the owner of premises will only confuse tourists,” he added. The federal and state governments approved allocation of RM2.5mln under the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP) and RM795,000 under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) to upgrade homestay facilities. Source: Bernama
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28Mar

Return of the giant clams

Giant clams are making their way back into waters off the city after decades of uncontrolled exploitation. An award-winning marine research centre here will release 500 giant clams into the sea after three long years of breeding and nurturing the natural sea water-filtering creature. The Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC) at Gaya Island, a 15-minute boat ride from the city, will sporadically release the three-inch giant clams in selected ocean nurseries during its month-long marine awareness month starting tomorrow. Besides the clams, the oceanic research centre, which is attached to the Gayana Eco Resort at the island, will integrate 1,000 corals - which it has planted and looked after - into the reefs off the island and city. Project director Alvin Wong said his team of marine biologists and support staff was eager to release the clams back into the sea. "Hopefully, this first batch will make it. We will monitor their progress as we continue to produce more giant clams," said Wong, adding that they had 2,000 more giant clams in their nursery. "We chose giant clams for our Save the Giants programme because they are endangered, slow to grow and important in producing oxygen into the marine ecosystem," he said. Wong said the first stage of the project involved work to spawn the larvae and taking care of them until these were ready to survive in ocean nurseries. He said the public must play their part to protect the marine environment by not polluting the sea or buying clams. MERC, awarded the Most Innovative Tourist Attraction Award at the Malaysia Tourism Awards 2008/2009, is the only centre in Malaysia to have spawned giant clam spats. As part of the marine awareness programme, he said MERC would also be hosting schoolchildren and non-governmental organisations to inculcate in them the awareness for marine conservation. There will also be a beach concert by Irish crooner Ronan Keating at sister resort Bunga Raya Island Resort on the other side of the island tomorrow for the programme. Source: The Star (By Durie Rainer Fong)
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26Mar

5th Session of the 13th Sabah State Legislative Assembly

5th Session of the 13th Sabah State Legislative Assembly YB Datuk Masidi Manjun attended the opening of the 5th Session of the 13th Sabah State Legislative Assembly on the 22nd of March 2012 at Bangunan Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah. Seen in the photo, YB Datuk Masidi Manjun together with other State Assemblymen.

YB Datuk Masidi Manjun menghadiri Majlis Istiadat Pembukaan Penggal Ke-5 Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah Ke-13 pada 22 Mac 2012 bertempat di Bangunan Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah. Kelihatan dalam gambar, YB Datuk Masidi Manjun sedang bergambar bersama-sama dengan beberapa Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri yang lain.

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21Mar

Courtesy visit from the Palliative Care Association

Courtesy visit from the Palliative Care Association YB Datuk Masidi Manjun received a courtesy visit from the Palliative Care Association led by Mrs. Margaret Lim, the president, on the 20th of March 2012 at the minister's office.

YB Datuk Masidi Manjun menerima kunjungan hormat daripada Persatuan Penjagaan Palliatif pada 20 Mac 2012 bertempat di pejabat menteri. Kunjungan tersebut telah diketuai oleh presidennya iaitu Pn Margaret Lim.

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