19Feb

Suitable approach to bring tourists to Tawau

TAWAU: A suitable approach will be taken to bring more tourists, especially from China, to this district, said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew (pic). According to her, who is also the Tawau MP, the matter has become her priority in an effort to further boost the economy in the district for the benefit of its population. “I will indeed work harder to ensure more tourists, especially from China, visit the east coast area (of Sabah) to spend one or two nights in Tawau,” she said at the Chinese New Year celebration of Tawau constituency, here, Sunday night.   Hence, she added tourism agencies and tour operators of the State were urged to play a role and work together in order to realise this wish. According to her, this district has interesting tourist attractions, handicraft and cultural products and a wide selection of seafood. Speaking on the event, Liew said the Chinese New Year that was celebrated across the country is among the events that could help to unite the nation of different races and religions. “Malaysia, in particular Sabah, has many celebrations according to local beliefs and celebrated together, which also proves that we live in harmony,” she added. - Bernama Source: Daily Express
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18Feb

Govt-NGO initiative to protect pangolins

KOTA KINABALU: The State Government through the Sabah Wildlife Department is working on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with an animal welfare non-governmental organisation to protect pangolins in Sabah. Deputy Chief Minister cum State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the State Government via the Department is consistently taking steps to preserve protected animals in the State, including pangolins. She said this after officiating a Sabah – World Pangolin Day Gala Dinner in conjunction with the pangolin conservation awareness campaign held at the Hilton Hotel, here, Saturday.   The event was sponsored by Malaysian-born philanthropist, Peter Chan, who now resides in the United States, and is passionate about lending a helping hand to Sabah’s wildlife conservation programmes. “Our effort in protecting the pangolin will not stop here. The observance of the World Pangolin Day is set to pave the way for bigger things to crystallise,” said Liew. “Suffice for me to say that we are still at the discussion stage over Chan’s Pangolin Conservation Initiative. “If everything goes as planned, we should be seeing the establishment of the much-anticipated Sabah Pangolin Sanctuary and Research Institute or as Chan calls it, Sapsari,” she said.   Liew explained that they still have to go through the legal procedures and the drafts on the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Understanding. “This will then have to go to the Attorney-General Office, before I can present it to the Cabinet for the government to decide, it will be a process that takes some time, but we have to do it as soon as we can,” she said. She also urged the relevant authorities to raid eateries serving pangolin meat to tourists and welcomes tip-off from the public on such activities. Over the years, numerous steps have been by the State Government including to set up a policy to protect wildlife and their natural habitat.   The government has even listed pangolins as a fully protected animal under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 and raised the maximum fine to RM250,000 or a minimum imprisonment term of up to five years or both. Laws has been set in place yet just last week, RM8.4 million worth of pangolins were seized by the authorities during a raid at a warehouse in Tamparuli, a town located barely an hours’ drive from the State capital. It was learnt that rescued pangolins that initially survived the ordeal were sent to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, but it was no promptly established if all the pangolins made it alive. Immediately after that, another 23 pangolins were rescued during a road block operation at the Kemabong-Tenom Road. The live pangolins were found in nylon sacks in the rear bonnet of a car driven by a 40-year-old man from Lawas. This took place just days ahead as the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment prepares to launch the Sabah – World Pangolin Day which fell on Saturday (Feb 16). Meanwhile, Sabah Wildlife Department Director Augustine Tuuga said investigations are still underway following the seizure in Tamparuli, adding that there are procedures that they have to go through.  - Sherell Jeffrey Source: Daily Express
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18Feb

RM173.5mil federal tourism projects proposed for Sabah

PUTRAJAYA: The Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment has submitted a list of proposed tourism development projects in the State, estimated to cost RM173.54 million, to be funded by the Federal Government. Its Minister Datuk Christina Liew made the submission to the Federal Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), Datuk Seri Mohammadin Ketapi, at a meeting with the latter at his office, here, Thursday. Also present were Deputy Secretary-General (Tourism) Dato’ Haslina Abdul Hamid, Tourism Malaysia Director-General Datuk Musa Yusof and Special Functions Officer to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Jamil Hamzah. Liew, who is also Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, stressed that the proposed projects are for the continued growth of the tourism industry in Sabah. These involve 10 districts, namely, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Sandakan, Kudat, Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Penyu, Tenom and Beaufort. The projects include upgrading of the infrastructure at the Tawau Hills Park, building of jetties, upgrading of visitor facilities at Simpang Mengayau and at an archaeological site, renovation of the existing building at two heritage museums, provision of tourism facilities at a wildlife sanctuary and renovation of the Lansaran building and multi-purpose buildings in Tenom. “I will make a strong recommendation for the approval of the proposed tourism-related projects. However, the applications for funding of these projects will be scrutinised by the Federal Economic Planning Unit.  We will keep on fighting for funds,” Mohammadin assured Liew, who was accompanied by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, William Baya, Director of Sabah Parks, Dr Jamili Nais, Sabah Tourism Board General Manager, Suzaini Datuk Sabdin Ghani and the Minister’s Private Secretary, Helen Muhammari. The Federal Minister also said he would duly consider the application for funding of the proposed facelift for the Poring Hot Springs in Ranau. Briefing Mohammadin further, Liew, who is MP for Tawau, made a request for an annual grant of RM1,500,000 for the preservation of Sabah’s ethnic heritage for the benefit of future generations. There are 35 main ethnic groups and 217 sub-ethnic groups in Sabah. She also sought another annual grant of RM500,000 in support of the International Youth Folk Dance Festival involving primary and secondary school students in Malaysia at national and international levels. Thirdly, Liew made a request for a “one-off” grant of RM500,000 for the Riu de Tawau programme to kick-start the Cuti-Cuti Tawau campaign which will be launched early next month. She said the programme will showcase the district’s ethnic groups and their rich heritage via a parade and cultural performances as well as their traditional cuisine through a food expo. “Tawau is a jewel in the crown but has yet to be fully explored and promoted to tourists. “I would like Cuti-Cuti Tawau to be incorporated into the calendar of events for Visit Malaysia Year 2020.” In response, Mohammadin said he would “cari jalan bantu” (find a way to assist), adding “I will help you on that one. I am a Sabahan.” He also assured his State counterpart that he would put in a word to the Minister of Transport in relation to the proposal to upgrade the Tawau and Sandakan Airports to the status of international airports. He concurred that Tawau is the gateway to the East Coast of Sabah, and an alternative gateway to Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu. Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia Director-General Datuk Musa Yusof disclosed that statistics showed that 44pc of Chinese tourist arrivals to Malaysia came to Sabah in the previous year. Source: Daily Express
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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

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07Jan

Environ Dept was into 145 schemes

Kota Kinabalu: The State Environment Protection Department (EPD) with its partners conducted 145 programmes with an outreach of 14,962 participants throughout Sabah in two years. Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Assaffal Alian said the programmes were part of the initiatives under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Ministry and the Conference of Earth Environment from Akita, Japan (CEEA), in 2017. "This is a major achievement and I hope that more programmes can be conducted so that the people will be more aware that even their smallest actions are important to reduce global warming," he said in a statement, Wednesday. "The MoU which is about to end by March, this year, is a great platform for Sabah to educate the people on the importance of taking the necessary measures to curb the rise of global heat. "We need to become a sustainable society by adhering to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the world leaders in 2015. "I hope CEEA will be able to purse the next phase of the MoU to expand the awareness activities to capture a wider spectrum of the community." Towards this end, Assaffal reiterated that the State Government will give due mandate to EPD to further strengthen its roles of ensuring environmental sustainability, especially, on climate change in Sabah. The MoU aims to ensure that awareness programmes on climate change are promoted among the people. EPD is the implementing department and will eventually be acknowledged as the Centre for Climate Change Action for Sabah, while the programmes are coordinated and monitored by the Japan Centre for Climate Change Actions (JCCCA). Meanwhile, Assaffal lead a working visit to Akita and Tokyo, Japan, recently as part of the indicators in the MoU. He was accompanied by EPD Director Mohd Yusrie Abdullah and other senior officials. During the trip, Assafal said the delegates observed the processing of solid waste at the Comprehensive Environmental Centre operated by Akita City Hall. "A mega solar power plant is also housed in this centre."All solid wastes are separated for recycling and for combustion inside the gasification and melting furnace at a very high temperature between 1,700 and 1,800 degree Celsius. "For environmental countermeasures in the gasification and melting furnace, gases such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, dioxins and other hazardous components are neutralised by the addition of limestone, and the furnace's design also confined these gases from being generated," he said. Assaffal said, the system resolved many environmental issues related to solid waste – a common problem faced by many nations including Sabah. "I am amazed that apart from effective recycling and recovery of metal, the system generates energy for its own power generation. "We also observed the process of several renewable energy in Akita such as biomass plant from oil palm kernels and chip woods, biogas power generation plant for food waste processing and wind mill plant. "Renewable energy from natural resources can be replenished during an average human lifetime and these sources should be promoted to ensure the earth's temperature will not increase at an alarming rate." During the visit, Assaffal also presented a speech on the performance of the climate change awareness programmes in Sabah at the International Eco­Products, Green Productivity and Environmental Technologies Exhibition (EcoPRo) 2018 in Tokyo. Source : Daily Express
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