Tag - Tourism

Kota Kinabalu: Popular seaside eatery Anjung Selera will be upgraded in some aspects including signage, wiring and restrooms with a RM250,000 allocation from the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry. Deputy Chief Secretary to the Ministry, Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman, said upgrading works started early March and is expected for completion next week. "We cannot do an overall upgrading because funds are limited," he said, when officiating the State level Penjaja 1Malaysia programme by Local Authorities and Housing Minister, Datuk Hajiji Noor, Sunday. He said the Ministry was allocated RM7 million to upgrade selected business premises of hawkers and small entrepreneurs nationwide with an aim to provide a safe, cleaner and conducive environment within and around the premises concerned. Hajiji, on the other hand, said the Penjaja 1Malaysia programme (PP1M) is proof of the government's concern for the hawkers and small entrepreneurs' welfare. Another proof is the Hawker and Small Entrepreneurs Cluster Insurance Scheme also known as National Hawker and Small Entrepreneurs 1Malaysia Insurance Plan (P1MPIN), he said. The P1MPIN, he said, is given free to the 1.5m hawkers and small entrepreneurs throughout the country. "For this reason, the Government has provided an allocation of about RM16 million for this year," he said. All the hawkers and small entrepreneurs need to do, he said, is to register with either the City Hall, District Council or District Office to benefit from the P1MPIN. On other developments, he said, the Federal Government has agreed to provide RM50 million this year under the Micro Funding Scheme to assist the hawkers and small entrepreneurs obtain additional capital or purchase better and modern business equipment. Hajiji said the traders would take out loan up to the RM50,000 under the scheme without any interest. To this, he urged hawkers and small entrepreneurs who have yet to register with the authorities to do so fast. Through the organisation, he said, their voice would be better heard as well as to have better networking. The Government also, he said, has provided a fund, in the form of grant, of RM4 million for the implementation of programmes and activities by hawkers and small entrepreneur organisations.

Ranau: The three-day Borneo Open World Paragliding Accuracy Category 2 took off gracefully with 73-year-old Datuk Tengku Zainal Adlin flying off the hills of Ranau to officiate the event, Thursday. Some 40 participants signed up but 11 withdrew due to the intrusion in Lahad Datu by armed Filipino terrorists last month. Adlin, who is also Sabah Tourism Board Chairman, said that the event is a catalyst to expand on Sabah's eco-tourism appeal. "This is an event that we want to upgrade to an international level because this area is perfect for paragliding," he said. Malaysia's top paragliding pilot Mohd Amin Ismail agreed. "This is the best training area (Ranau) and Sabah's landscape is beautiful, so it's very interesting to paraglide around this area. "This isn't an elite sport. Everyone can do. You don't have to be too athletic. It's more of a mental game," said Amin. Pilot Ali Ahmad from Qatar shared Amin's sentiment. "I like this place. It's amazing. Nice views and very nice people." On the cancellations, Adlin said he sees it as a challenge. "We understand that the cancellations were made in response to the advisories from their respective countries but it's ok. We see this as a challenge to push ourselves." Forty pilots from six countries were supposed to participate in the event, which ends Saturday (March 30). But 11 last minute cancellations dropped participation down to 29. Antony Lewis from the United Kingdom said he was not influenced by the incident because of the distance between Lahad Datu and Ranau. "The incidents are 200km away which is a long way away," said Antony, who works in Singapore and visits Kota Kinabalu every month. "I love KK. I think it's a great city. It's very happening and full of activities for tourists. I really want to climb Mt. Kinabalu and then fly down. I'm going to do it this year in October with this team," he said. The Borneo Open World Paragliding Accuracy Category 2 is organised by the Malaysia Sport Aviation Federation (MSAF Paragliding), co-organised by the Kinabalu Paragliding Club, sponsored by the Sabah Tourism Board and sanctioned by the Federal Aeronatique International Malaysia Sports Aviation Federation. Source: Daily Express.

Kota Kinabalu: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun assured the people that Sabah is safe and to prove his point he will be visiting Tawau and Semporna today (Thursday). "To show how safe Sabah is, the Federal Tourism Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen and I will be going to Tawau and Semporna tomorrow to let you know everything is safe, so please stop listening to rumours and put your trust in our security forces personnel," he said. "We want to demonstrate in no uncertain terms that the place is safe for tourists to visit and I am sure Ministers would not want to risk their lives if really there is danger in Semporna or even any place. "The fact that we are going there is a confidence in us and that life has gone back to normal," he said, after witnessing a cheque presentation by the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) for RM46,880 to the Royal Malaysian Police Welfare Fund at his office, here, Wednesday. The cheque was presented by Matta Sabah Chapter Chairman, KL Tan, to the State Police Contingent Administration Department Head, SAC Noor Azam Jamaludin. Masidi again reminded the people not to listen to rumours because a lot of the problems are caused by rumours which influence their work, citing panic buying of rice and food essentials recently. "The worst thing that can happen is when people start believing in rumours which could perhaps be part of the intruders' strategy to make us fearful and then nobody would want to do their job," he said, adding that if that happens, then it's just a matter of time before the whole system, economy and political system collapse. Meanwhile, Tan said the donation worth RM20,000 was contributed by consumers who attended the Matta Fair in Kuala Lumpur from March 16 to March 18, while another RM26,880 was donated by Matta Sabah. "This small monetary contribution cannot compensate for the lives lost by our security forces and this is indication that we in the travel industry, particularly Matta members are fully behind the country's armed forces," said Tan. Source : Daily Express