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26Oct
22Oct
Sabah to tap more markets from Europe, US, Australia, New Zealand
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is planning to “balance” the tourism sector, especially among foreigners, said State Tourism and Culture minister Datuk Christina Liew.
“Sabah has been putting focus on China market which takes about 50 per cent of tourist arrivals in the state.
“The (Tourism, Arts and Culture) ministry, through Sabah Tourism Board, needs to balance influx of tourists to the state through participation in roadshows to explore and tap more markets from Europe, United States, Australia and New Zealand,” she said, adding that the Board would be sending representatives to World Travel Market in London next month to promote Sabah.
Liew, who is also Api-Api state assemblyman, was speaking at a press conference after site inspection at Sinsuran, Segama, Bandaran and Kampung Air here.
It was reported that Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents had said the occupancy rate of hotels had fallen to 50 to 60 per cent in October, as compared to an average of 80 to 85 per cent occupancy in the same period last year.
Liew, however, said the ministry was optimistic with the oriental market as China knows the State’s attractions such as the mountains, sea and food.
“Next week there will be a press conference on this (tourists from China) whereby Southern China Airlines will have more flights (coming into Sabah),” she said.
On the site inspection, Liew said it was to fulfil her election promise to solve issues on hygiene, and repair works, among others, in the constituency.
She said the constituency’s Community Development Leaders unit office and website would be established soon for people to lodge complaints and check on distribution of development fund.
Meanwhile, on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s announcement on two terms limit for people’s representatives, Liew said there were many things that could be done within the period.
“However, whether it is sufficient (to bring significant changes), I will leave it to wisdom of top leadership and the time they need to repair the country’s debts,” she added.
Source: New Straits Times
17Oct
New air route between Indonesia and Sabah proposed
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew welcomed the proposal to open up a new air route between Indonesia (Manado) and Sabah (Kota Kinabalu) operated by Batik Air.
“I fully support the proposal which is good for both Sabahans and Indonesians in the interest of air connectivity and further tourism
growth for mutual benefits,” she said.
During a courtesy call by the Consul-General of Indonesia in Kota Kinabalu, Bapak Krishna Djelani, he proposed a direct flight from Manado (capital of North Sulawesi) to Kota Kinabalu, in addition to the existing direct flight from Jakarta to Kota Kinabalu.
“It takes only two hours to fly from Manado to Kota Kinabalu. The idea is to boost the level of tourism and enhance people-to-people ties. It is our desire to strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and Indonesia in general, and between Sabah and Indonesia in particular, in all fields of endeavour except for politics,” he told the minister.
Given the current direct flight from Manado to China, the Consul-General, who was accompanied by Vice-Consul Sartono Hendrarso, was looking at the possibility of a China-Manado-Kota Kinabalu route
and a China-Kota Kinabalu-Manado route.
Bapak Krishna, who was aware of the soaring number of Chinese tourist arrivals to Sabah, spotted the potential for tourism collaboration between Sabah and Indonesia.
“I have read about it (Chinese tourists) in the media,” he said.
In response, Liew suggested further discussion on the proposal before raising the matter with both the State and Federal Governments.
On another note, she broached the subject of loaning a Sumatran rhinoceros from Indonesia for the State’s rhino breeding programme.
“As it is, we have only got a pair left and the female rhino is sickly and presently put on 24-hour surveillance. It has lost about
50kg since July this year,” she said.
Currently, the two rhinos are kept at the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu.
Bapak Krishna said he would follow up on the matter with the relevant Indonesian authorities as there had earlier been a MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) on bilateral relations between Indonesia and Malaysia.
It is believed that the MOA had touched on the Transboundary Conservation Project on Sumatran Rhinoceros. It is also understood
that the subject will be discussed among high-level officials of both countries at a bilateral meeting scheduled to be held in Malaysia next month.
Meanwhile, Consul Ibu Hendro Retno Wulan, who was present, briefed Liew on efforts to start a tourism-related vocational curriculum at Sekolah Indonesia Kota Kinabalu in Sepanggar. It has an enrolment of 900 students from kindergarten level to junior high school.
“It is a free three-year skill diploma training course sponsored by the Indonesian government. Intake starts this month. We are teaching them useful skills in the culinary arts to ensure they have a good future,” she said.
Ibu Hendro was seeking support from the Sabah State Government for the students’ internship with local hotels here prior to their graduation.
“We hope the Immigration authorities will consider issuing a temporary pass for the interns to complete their internship,” she said.
There are also 227 schools called Community Learning Centres (CLCs) for children of registered workers of oil-palm plantations throughout Sabah. Of the figure, 80 are registered with the Sabah State Education Department.
Source: Borneo Post Online
16Oct
UK charity helping out Lok Kawi zoo
Kota Kinabalu: A wildlife park in Sabah has accepted help from an UK animal welfare charity, following concerns raised over the welfare of animals under its care.
Following concerns raised in social media, the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park in Penampang invited UK animal welfare charity Wild Welfare to visit and carry out a welfare audit.
Wild Welfare's Field Director Dave Morgan observed the Park's facilities and all its animals and held meetings with key people from the Park and Sabah Wildlife Department. The charity has since offered to help work with the Park to make improvements for its animals.
"We discovered a number of areas where there are concerns, in particular the current controlling methods used to manage their elephants. Changes need to be made to improve conditions for the animals," he said.
Following the three-day audit, a meeting was held with Nur'Ain Acheh, the Park's Manager, Augustine Tuuga, the Director of Sabah Wildlife Department, the Department's Deputy Director and Sabah Wildlife Rescue Unit's chief veterinarian. All parties agreed the need for positive changes to improve animal welfare at the Park.
Up to 90 per cent of the Park's animals were rescued as a result of injury or are confiscations from the illegal pets and wildlife trades. Wild Welfare has experience working in similar wild animal facilities across the world, putting in place a series of practical, long-term changes wherever necessary, that enable staff and management to provide good animal care and welfare.
"We don't just come in and audit a facility, point out all that is wrong and expect changes to happen overnight.
"Our charity will work with the Park to help solve the problems and issues that are giving cause for concern, ensuring the staff can create a place where all the animals receive a high standard of care," added Morgan.
Wild Welfare is generating a full report for the Park, which will lay out the changes that need to be made, and has made a commitment to return next year with additional expertise. - Hayati Dzulkifli
Source: Daily Express
16Oct
Focus on increasing tourism manpower
Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew will bring the issue of shortage of skilled manpower in the burgeoning tourism industry to the attention of the State Government.
She gave the assurance during a meeting with officials from the Asian Tourism International (ATI) College and Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI), recently.
"Based on our estimation and accurately so, tourism is the third biggest revenue-earner for Sabah after palm oil and crude oil. For this reason, the State Government and my Ministry are focusing on it. I am aware of the increasing demand for more trained personnel in the tourism sector, now that we are seeing an influx of tourists from China in particular.
"I would raise the College's request for financial aid with the State Government. Apart from the PTPTN loans for students, we will try to seek sponsorship from Yayasan Sabah and big corporations if possible,"she said.
Briefing Liew on the financial woes facing ATI College, Executive Chairman Datuk Seri Wong Khen Thau urged the new Government to view it seriously.
"Lack of human capital development for the tourism industry is a serious issue. It is very alarming for Sabah. We (ATI College) provide crucial manpower for the Tourism, Culinary and F&B Industries.
However, the major slash on PTPTN loans from the Federal Government has affected our intake of students. We had appealed to the previous Government but to no avail.
"Loans aside, private colleges in Sabah like ours have never enjoyed grants or allocations from the Government unlike the independent Chinese secondary schools and government-run university colleges, community colleges and polytechnic institutions," he pointed out.
The Minister concurred with Wong that the focus should also be on developing tourism awareness among the youths, especially those from the rural districts like Kota Marudu, Pitas and Keningau, among others, in the interest of human resource development and career prospects.
"Some 60pc to 70pc of our ATI College students are from rural areas.
They need help as the government loans are just sufficient to cover the tuition fees. The College has a capacity of 700 to 800, of whom 70pc to 80pc apply for loans. For a two-and-a-half-year diploma course in culinary arts, the cost is about RM20,000 per student. As the PTPTN loan has been slashed down to RM12,000, the College has to subsidise heavily to the tune of about RM8,000. We also provide free transport and accommodation to trainee students," said the President of the Sabah Association of Private Institutions of Higher Learning.
Wong, who is also Chairman of MICCI Sabah Branch, presented the following requests to Liew.
- Provision of a State government scholarship for the Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Programme
- Provision of funding for government loans to enable more students to pursue education under the Tourism, Hospitalty and Culinary Progamme
- Assistance for poor rural students to pursue studies at the College
- Creating a "Tourism Lab" for all trainers, lecturers and other players in the industry to work together.
