07Jan

New appointments, reshuffle in Sabah government

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has carried out a reshuffle in two ministries and several departments.

Datuk Bahari Hassan was appointed as the new Finance Permanent Secretary, replacing Datuk Pg Hassanel Pg Mohd Tahir who will retire on Wednesday (Jan 2). Sabah Cultural Board (LKNS) general manager William Baya will be taking over the position of the KePKAS permanent secretary from Datuk Datu Rusmadi Sulai. The post was vacant after Datu Rusmadi's appointment as the Public Services Department director, replacing Datuk Nordin Siman, who is now the Kota Kinabalu mayor. Meanwhile, Datuk Mansur Asun has been appointed as LKNS general manager, and his former post as Sabah Museum director has been filled by Arif Hamid. According to Hashim, the Chief Minister's Department also appointed two former senior civil servants as deputy state secretaries. They were former senior officer at the state Attorney-General’s Office, Hanafiah Kassim (Administration) and former Industrial Development Department director Patrick Tan (Development).

Source : The Star Online

By Minister on the move, , , Comments Off
Read more...
14Dec

Sabah to be the most favoured destination

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah will be "Malaysia's Favourite Destination" at the Matta Fair in Kuala Lumpur from March 15-17 at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Sabah Tourism Board Senior Manager (Research Division), Angeline Engchuan, said Sabah Tourism Board (STB) would be in partnership with Matta (Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents). As a marketing strategy for Domestic Market in 2019, it would be widely promoted through various platforms such as Matta's website and media partner's website as well as social media network, electronic and print media. STB also proposed a partnership with Malaysia airlines for the Matta event during a meeting with the airline's CEO, Capt Izah Ismail, on Monday. In this respect, Capt. Izham said, Malaysia Airlines will initiate a workshop on how to promote Sabah as a holiday destination. "STB will also collaborate with Malaysia Airlines overseas offices to promote Sabah," said Angeline, adding that STB also proposed that Malaysia Airlines play a promo video on Sabah on domestic flights. At the event Capt Izham said that the airline has not been flying a lot into Sabah since the MH370 incident in 2014 which went missing without a trace with some 300 passengers on board. "To make matters worse, three months later, MH17 (shooting down of plane over Ukraine) happened. We were basically on our knees. The Government felt strongly that Malaysia needs a national carrier so we continued. "We don't have assets that we wish we could fly, say KL-Sandakan five times a day. But KL-Tawau is booming. Even with those numbers, we don't have the assets to fly a lot. We really have to position our assets at the most profitable route for us. We are taking away flights that are not making money but it is not easy to exit a route," he said. He said KL-KK, KL-Tokyo, KL-Incheon and KL-India are the profitable routes for MAB and hopes to "see sunshine" by 2020. Despite what happened, Malaysia Airlines is a perfectly safe airline, he said. Source : Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , , Comments Off
Read more...
14Dec

Sabah, Sarawak expect to receive more tourists next year

TAWAU: Sabah is expected to receive more tourists following the launch of the Kuching-Tawau direct flights by Airasia starting yesterday. The inaugural Kuching-Tawau flight from Kuching International Airport was officiated by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister cum State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew. “The flights will help boost the number of tourist arrivals further,” she said. Besides, this new route launch came at the right time in line with the state government’s aspiration to promote East Coast Tourism with special emphasis on Tawau and the neighbouring districts (Semporna, Kunak Lahad Datu and Sandakan) as new tourism hubs,” she said in her officiating ceremony speech here. Airasia yesterday celebrated its maiden flight from Kuching to Tawau and becoming the only airline to connect the capital of Sarawak to the third largest city in Sabah. The aircraft departed with Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Airasia Director of Government Relations Zamani Rafique, and was greeted with a water cannon salute upon landing in Tawau Airport at 12.30 pm and received by Christina. Airasia is offering celebratory fares from as low RM49 until 15 Disember 2018 for either way from Kuching or Tawau. Meanwhile, Abdul Karim in his speech said that the new route would also benefit both destinations Tawau-Kuching under the Borneo Brand and further enhance the relationship between the two Malaysian states on Borneo Island. He said the opening of the new route was in line with the promotion for the Visit Sarawak Year 2019. At the same time, he said he would make thorough plans concerning the cooperation between his ministry and the Tourism Ministry in Sabah to promote the Borneo Brand tourism sector. Meanwhile, Zamani who represented Airasia Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Riat Asmat said the new service was part of Airasia’s continuing commitment to enhance air connectivity in east Malaysia. Zamani also announced that Airasia was offering FREE SEATS for flight from Kota Kinabalu-Sibu and Kota Kinabalu-Bintulu where the promotion starts from now until Dec 16, 2018 for travel period between Jan 1, 2019 and Feb 4, 2020. – Bernama Source : The Borneo Post
By Inside KePKAS, , , , , Comments Off
Read more...
07Dec

Birdwatching as new tourism package.

Sandakan: Birdwatching is the fastest growing outdoor activity that has the potential to be one of the main tourism contributors in the State. Permanent Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Datuk Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai, said if birdwatching can be properly exposed, it can be among prominent players in Sabah's tourism sector. "I was told that Sabah is home to some 688 types of bird species which attracted not only local but also international birdwatchers. "Sabah is also rich in eco-tourism and birdwatchers are know to do their birdwatching in well-known eco-tourism spots. "There are around seven places in the State that are visited regularly by birdwatchers such as Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre, Danum Valley, Kinabalu Park, Likas Bay and Tabin," he said. He said in order to encourage and boost the birdwatching activity and turn it into a tourism package, the Ministry will organise a meeting with the tour operators. Datu Rosmadi was speaking at the opening of 10th Borneo Bird Festival at Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC). Meanwhile, he advised tourism players to shoulder their obligation as the custodian of the environment, thus, appreciating the world class eco-tourism spots in Sabah. Also present at the ceremony were President of Sandakan Borneo Bird Club Sabah, Gary Albert, Chief Conservator of Sabah Forestry Department, Datuk Mashor Mohd Jaini, Elopura Assemblyman Calvin Chong, speakers, birdwatchers and members of the public. In the ceremony, Datu Rosmadi also launched "A naturalist's guide to the Birds of Borneo" written by Wong Tsu Shi, a keen photographer who is in interested in the photo-documentation of the birds of Borneo. His book is an easy-to-use identification guide to 280 birds found in Borneo covering Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan including the most commonly seen and rare endemic species. The two-day event was enlivened with various activities such as talks, bird photography, guided birdwatching, bird mimic contest, bird race, booth exhibitions, Borneo bird run and so forth. - Winnie Kasmir   Source : Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , , , , , , Comments Off
Read more...
07Dec

STB’s first Christmas celebration

Kota Kinabalu: Gaya Street was transformed into a fairyland of lights and carols Tuesday for Sabah Tourism Board's (STB) first Christmas celebration.Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Christina Liew, when launching the event, said the Christmas tree placed in front of the historic century-old STB office was made out of daily reusable items including plastic cups, cake covers, ice cream sticks, clothes pegs and others. "In all of our initiatives and events this year, we have been emphasising on cleanliness and no single-use plastic, in our efforts to ensure a clean and unpolluted Sabah," she said. Children who were present were overjoyed when Liew and her Ministry staff along with STB started distributing presents to children from Pediatrics Ward of the Sabah Hospital for Women and Children in Likas.She commended STB for attracting a large number of locals and tourists for the festive celebration. "I am pleased to see a huge crowed supporting this huge event and I hope this will be a tradition where we, regardless of backgrounds and ethnicities, come together to mark the year-end holiday season here in Kota Kinabalu," she said. Many stalls were set up offering local products besides food and drink stalls as well food trucks. - Locksley Ng Source : Daily Express
By Inside KePKAS, , , , , , Comments Off
Read more...