20Jul

KK Jazz Festival Committee Meets Mayor

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival (KKJF) 2017 organising committee led by its organising chairman Rotarian Jack Ong, paid a courtesy call on Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai, recently . Jack briefed Yeo on the programme for the upcoming 11th KK Jazz Festival at the  Sutera Harbour Marina & Country Club Covered Tennis Courts on July 21-22 The two-night concert will feature international and local talents and bands to perform on either the centre or main stage. Malaysian celebrity, personality and TV anchor, Sabahan Daphne Iking, is back by popular demand to emcee again this year. Performers on the first night includes 2017 Bakat Interact winner from SM St Francis Convent; Butod Project (KKJF Talent Search winners);  Gordon Chin with his complex fingerstyle technique; the energetic pop fusion band – Dominant 5th of Borneo (D50B);  Sabahan Jazz piano Alton Wong and jazz ensemble Kangkung Belacan; the infectious rhythm driven sound of Nafas; Sada Borneo’s musical fusion of traditional, modern, ethnic and nature elements; and ending the night with the winner of Tiger Jams 2016 – Rozella. The line-up for the second night begins with sophisticated jazz, dance and Latin music by Borneo Big Band led by Joan Jim; Talent Search finalists – Zuhaili and Culumus; Good Messenger – professional musicians from Taiwan with their mix of jazz, blues, gospel and classical music; the first authentic Spanish Flamenco ensemble to perform in Sabah – Origen; the unique and virtuosic style of Shun Ng & The Shunettes, comprising of Stellar Award nominee Deon Mose, with their special guest – China’s The Voice finalist Melody Tan; a UK chart topper and daughter of the legendary Loganathan of the Alleycats – Dasha Logan; and Asia’s first and only Prince-inspired tribute band – Rainbow Children, to bring the festival into a spectacular ending. The festival opens at 6pm on both nights and ends at about 11 pm each night. There are tables and chairs provided at the venue but availability is on a first come first serve basis. This year  KKJF will have some of the best restaurants in Kota Kinabalu serving their best food and beverages such as The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Outlet, Party Play, Adelphi & Co, Alexys, Borenos, Fruto, Wine Shop, Carlsberg, and many more. F&B coupons of RM20 and RM50 per book are sold at the festival. Tickets will be available at the door on both days but purchase them now via website and at selected outlets in KK at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Party Play, Adelphi & Co, Alexys Cafe and Borenos Fried Chicken. Prices for the tickets are RM100 for a one-day pass (per pax per night) and RM150 for a two-day pass (per pax for two nights). Both tickets are for regular seating on a first come first serve basis. The price for one Premier table is RM1,000 per table per night (maximum of six pax) or RM200 per pax per night (maximum of four pax) for a premier seating on sharing basis where table and seats are specially reserved. F&B is not included but waiters are on standby to assist on getting your food and beverages. To avoid the hassle of parking, the festival will partner with Uber Malaysia this year. Ticket holders can ride with Uber to/from the festival by entering the promo code 11KKJAZZF in the Uber app and enjoy two  free rides worth RM5 each to/from the festival on July 21-22 only. The main sponsor of KKJF is Yayasan Sime Darby. Other sponsors are the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, Pacificity and  supported by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) and Carlsberg. KKJF is jointly organised by RCKK and SPArKS, and the festival is an annual fund-raising festival, where money raised from ticket sales is used to fund deserving community projects of RCKK. For more information on KKJF, please log onto www.kkjazzfest.com or check out FB page @KK Jazz Festival. Source: The Borneo Post Online
By Inside KePKAS, , , , , Comments Off
Read more...
24Mar

Shorter wait for govt dental appointments

Kota Kinabalu: The waiting period for dental appointments in government clinics has been cut short, thanks to more facilities established by the Health Department. Its Director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi on Saturday said aggressive action had been taken to improve dental care in recent years as Sabah has been behind compared to the other states on such medical service. "For many, many years, Sabah was kind of behind compared to other states in Malaysia…we have set up a lot more dental clinics, as well as set up mobile dental clinics. "To date, Sabah has two mobile clinics that goes around to the community level, especially those in the rural areas," said Rundi, adding that a dental clinic is also open at the Urban Transformation Centre here after office hours. Dr Rundi was met after attending the opening of the Seventh Borneo Dental Congress, here, Saturday. Also present were Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun and Malaysia Dental Association Eastern Zone Chairman Dr James Chu Kok Weng. However, she said the demand for dental care remains higher than the supply, adding that the issue remained unresolved due to the overwhelming number of patients. Dr Rundi said "waiting time" for patients still exists, but pointed out it was better than previously where those trying to get their tooth filled, for example, had to wait for three months to get it done. "There are just too many people but we are trying to balance this out. There are more people coming to the government facilities now. But we are also cooperating with the private dental care, as there are differences in prices (between the private and public sector)," she said. It is also understood that the number of dentists against the Sabah population ratio stood around 1:3,000 people at present. The Health Ministry, in a response to a viral message on dental fee hikes in February, noted that dental treatments like filling, scaling and polishing will cost RM2 while tooth extraction RM1. The Federal Government presently subsidises a substantial amount on dental services with services like scaling and polishing should cost RM55 at present. Treatment procedure charges as stated in the Fees (Medical) Order 1982 were not revised for 35 years. Earlier, Masidi said Sabah has what it takes to be the choice of foreigners in dental tourism, citing the modern technologies and the strategic location of the State in the region, as well as Australia and New Zealand. "The facilities and equipment are at par with those of developed nations and at the same time affordable," he said. More than 400 dentists, as well as those in the field of dentistry are attending the congress here. The three-day Borneo Dental Congress here will end on Sunday. The congress, which is held alternately between Sabah and Sarawak, has already generated interest from experts from Australia, Brunei and Singapore since its inception seven years ago. - Jason Santos Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKASComments Off
Read more...
24Mar

Sabah International Fishing meet April 25-30

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Anglers Association (SAA) will again be organising the annual Sabah International Fishing Tournament this year from April 25- 30. "The tournament venue will again be in Pulau Layang Layang. So far SAA has received confirmation from more than 100 participants and as in previous years, the anglers come from several countries including Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong and China," said SAA President Datuk Wilfred Lingham. "Although the closing date for entry to Pulau Layang Layang was on March 18, the tournament is still open for anglers who want to fish in local fishing grounds such as Semarang, 'Karang-Karang', 'takat 360' and Mantanani as well as around Kudat waters. "We know that the cost to go to Pulau Layang Layang can be quite expensive. Thus by keeping registration open, anglers who want to participate but do not want to spend too much can still join in the tournament. "They can still register with SAA and depart on April 27. The closing date for them would be on April 24 at 4pm," Lingham said on Tuesday. It was learnt that the number of foreign angler participation had been increasing each year with about 60 per cent of the Layang Layang bound anglers being made up of foreign anglers, the majority hailing from China and Brunei. Similar to the previous years' tournament, anglers participating in SIFT will have to adhere to the rules and regulations set by SAA and the National Security Council. This includes fish species which are not allowed to be landed according to the Fisheries Regulations (Control of Endangered Species) Act 1999 (Amendment 2008). These include the Giant Wrasse (Ikan Mameng), all sharks, rays and bill-fishes. "If hooked they must be released immediately. For those who manage to hook a billfish, they can submit photographic proof or video of the catch as the fish must also be realised immediately in accordance to the International Game Fishing Association's (IGFA) rules." The prizes have been increased from six to 10 this year with a total of RM70,000 in cash and kind including trophies and medals. All participants will also receive a tournament T-shirt and certificate. They will also be entitled to a lucky draw which will be held during the prize presentation ceremony. The tournament would not be held without the continuous support of the Sabah Tourism Board, Sri Pelancongan Sabah and Sutera Harbour Resort Golf Marina Spa and Country Club as the venue provider, he said. "We would also like to record our gratitude to Parex Group and Davco, Pure Fishing, the State Fisheries Department, ComNav2 (Mawilla2) Operational Command Area and the Royal Malaysian Navy for their support to SAA and SIFT," he said. He added that the winning fishes will as usual be auctioned off to the public at 1pm on April 30. "Those interested to buy formalin free fish can come and participate in the auction on that day," he said, adding that this is part of SAA's effort to promote awareness about formalin free fish. Inquiries about the tournament can be directed to the SIFT 2017 secretariat at +60138509788 or +60168276762. - Neil Chan Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, Comments Off
Read more...
17Mar

Unicef partners with KRC to host BIM

Kota Kinabalu: The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) will join forces with Kinabalu Running Club (KRC) to host the 10th edition of the Borneo International Marathon that carries a new theme :#thisability' this year. KRC President and race director Datuk Dr Heng Aik Cheng in his speech at the official launch of the event by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman at a leading hotel here on Wednesday said some 10,000 participants from Malaysia and overseas will take part together with children of disability in Kota Kinabalu on May 7. "This year we are including children with disabilities to help them to realise their full potential. We want to provide opportunities and encourage them to learn and participate in all our activities. "By bringing together persons with and without disabilities in the marathon will give them the pride and dignity in our community and will also contribute to make our society more inclusive," he said. In her speech, Malaysia Unicef representative Marianne Clark-Hattingh said the race is for thousands of Malaysians and foreigners to run for a single common and noble course: Children with disabilities and their inclusion in our daily lives. "We know sport is a healthy activity and has the power to unite all different kinds of people for fun , play and achievement. "Children with disability often face stigma and discrimination. Through sports, we want to dispel our own fears and biased views to build a more inclusive environment for children with disabilities. "Everywhere in the world, it takes time to challenge negative attitudes and practices towards these children. It is a marathon, not a sprint and we need to stay the course to break down the barriers." She also said they are very excited to work alongside Sabah Tourism Board, Youth and Sports Ministry, Kota Kinabalu City Hall, State Police, State Health Department and State Education Department. Meanwhile, the organiser as a gesture of commitment has waived the registration fee for persons with disabilities. Money raised from the event will be donated to local non-profit organisations that work to improve the lives of disadvantage groups including children with disabilities in Sabah. Also present at the launch were City Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai and other top officials from the various State departments including the Police as well as some OKU athletes. – GL Oh Source: Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, Comments Off
Read more...
08Mar

IPEC To Support Growth Of Paragliding in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 06 March 2017 - Paragliding is a popular sport in many parts of the world and it continues to boom like most other adventure sports, or extreme sports as some prefer to call it. In recent years, the sport has seen an upsurge of interest in Malaysia, with more people keen on learning about the sport, and training to take to the skies. It’s recent growth in popularity laid the foundations for the establishment of MSAF Paragliding Bureau in 2015. In collaboration with MSAF Paragliding Bureau, IPEC Bureau will play a crucial role to support the progress of paragliding in Malaysia by working towards skills and competency recognition for the sport. While MSAF Paragliding Bureau will govern the sport according to internationally recognised standards and regulations, IPEC will explore the possibility of setting up conformity assessments for a paragliding certification scheme based on the ISO/IEC17024. Personnel earmarked by IPEC Bureau under this scheme includes trainers, instructors and, sports and recreational safety personnel - essential areas that require substantial advancement and standardisation to elevate paragliding into a mainstream sport in the country. As part of IPEC Bureau’s commitment to paragliding in Malaysia, it will be supporting the upcoming Ranau Paragliding Accuracy & XC 2017 (RANPAXC 2017). RANPAXC 2017, to be held between 10 - 12 March, will be the first ever multi-disciplined international paragliding competition organised in Malaysia where approximately 100 local and international pilots will be showcasing their skills at the Ranau Paragliding Park in Ranau, Sabah. The guest of honour at RANPAXC 2017 will be the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun. Hundreds of enthusiastic fans and visitors are expected to throng the event over the two days. So, come join us and witness the incredible sight of pilots in their colourful wingsuits soaring in the skies of Ranau. RANPAXC 2017 will also be a significant stepping stone towards identifying and training highly talented Malaysian paragliders to represent the country at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. For more information on RANPAXC 2017, please visit http://www.msafparagliding.gov.my/ranpaxc2017 Source : IPEC CERTIFICATION BUREAU
By Inside KePKAS, , , , Comments Off
Read more...