10Jun

Best local talents perform at Sunset Music Festival 2016

KUDAT: In the northernmost tip of Borneo, Sabah’s iconic Tanjung Simpang Mengayau comes alive with music, showcasing the best local talents which captivated a packed crowd, Saturday at the Sunset Music Festival 2016. As the sun goes down over the horizon where the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea, young talented ukulele players of D’Franciscan Uke Onsoi group warmed up the crowd with a medley of traditional and contemporary songs, including Dusun favourites “Pemilihis Ginawo’ and got the crowd singing along to ‘Tanak Kampung’. Staging a fresh and dazzling performance with their fresh tagline ‘Onsoi’ which means admirable and great, the group composed of students of the St Xavier Secondary School was an instant hit and wowed the crowd. Among those in attendance include Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun who enjoyed the musical talents at the tenth edition of Sabah’s biggest open air concert. By sunset, local band from Kudat Matlankidz and Brothers sets the pace with an electrifying performance of instrumental soulful guitar licks of local rock classics and an original song entitled ‘Kaamatan 7 pagi’. Representing Sabah’s talented stars, the award-winning Esther Applunius was an instant hit who even sportingly sang a traditional song together with Josephine Magdalene Joseph, a member of D’Franciscan Uke Onsoi. It did not take long for Esther to get crowd on their feet who sang and danced to her mesmerising, riveting vocals of traditional, Mandarin and English songs. The concert delighted a packed crowd, including tourists who gathered for the closing spectacles of the Sunset Music Fest, featuring a captivating display of talented local musicians and artistes performing a dazzling repertoire of music renditions against the breath-taking sunset view at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau. No stranger to the entertainment scene, The Deep Buskers took to the stage and spiced up the night with entertaining renditions of Spanish songs and popular Indian Bollywood favourite Janam, Janam, especially legendary rock classic ‘Whats Up? By American rock group 4 Non Blondes which got the crowd really pumped up, singing along while punching their fists in the air. Among the other stage acts include jazz singer, Nur Farhan Azizan and 28-year-old Dafi also known as Gadaffi Ismail Sabri, another famous alumni of Akademi Fantasia. Among the major highlights of the event, the beautiful and talented songstress, Marsha Milan Londoh needs no introduction in the local music scene who enthralled the audience with her powerful vocals of ‘Sumandak Kinabalu’. To the delight of the children who danced their way throughout the event, Marsha sang Disney’s hit animated movie Frozen in Bahasa Malaysia and English and got the crowd dancing the night away while singing to Tanak Kampung.   Source : New Sabah Times
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06Jun

Singer Gary Chaw is Sabah tourism ambassador

KOTA KINABALU: Local-born singer Gary Chaw has been appointed Sabah tourism ambassador. Sabah Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Pang Yuk Ming made the announcement at a welcome dinner he hosted for the singer at a hotel last night. Chaw, 37, a singer-cum-songwriter based in Taiwan will assume his role as ambassador for two years until June 3, 2018. "I have always promoted Sabah to my fans and friends outside Malaysia whenever I can. I would recommend the beaches and islands and especially, my hometown of Kota Belud to potential visitors," he told those present at the event. About 100 of Chaw's fans from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur were specially flown by the singer to attend the event on sponsored flights, including AirAsia and MAS. Chaw will soon release his new album, A Friend, in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of his involvement in the music industry. "The album is about my personal journey and challenges as a singer in the last 10 years. I directed my own music videos in the album," he said. The singer holds his first concert in Sabah for an estimated 2,000 fans, including some 1,000 from throughout the country, at the beachfront of Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort & Spa in Tuaran today. Chaw sings mostly Mandarin pop and rhythm and blues and is well known in Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Taiwan. He is of Hakka and Murut heritage and lives with his wife and two children, aged five and eight in Taiwan. — Bernama   Source: The Sun Daily-Bernama
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06Jun

WWF applauds establishment of M’sia’s largest marine park in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: WWF-Malaysia applauds the Sabah State Government for establishing Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) off the coast of northern Borneo – protecting almost a million hectares of coral reef, mangrove, seagrass and productive fishing grounds, including more than 50 islands. TMP gazettement comes after more than 13 years of preparatory work led by Sabah Parks with government agencies, local communities, international partners, and with support from non-governmental organisations including WWF-Malaysia. TMP is a globally significant marine conservation site and WWF-Malaysia is thrilled with this monumental step! As an important marine area in the Coral Triangle, TMP has immensely rich marine biodiversity with more than 250 species of hard corals and around 360 species of fish, endangered green turtles and dugongs as well as significant primary rainforest, mangroves, and seagrass beds. However, TMP is threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing and pollution, and the declaration of its gazettement is timely and will allow for a concerted effort to address the pressures to its marine ecosystem. Executive Director/CEO of WWF-Malaysia, Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma, said he is deeply gratified by the declaration of TMP and congratulated the Sabah State Government, the Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment and Sabah Parks for taking the bold steps in the gazettement of TMP, paving and leading the way for the implementation of an innovative marine protected area management in Sabah and Malaysia. WWF-Malaysia also congratulates the local communities within and around TMP who can now be proud of being part of this initiative. “I feel proud of WWF-Malaysia’s role, together with other stakeholders, in supporting the Sabah State Government’s journey to gazettement of TMP. In particular, WWF-Malaysia is privileged to have been able to engage and work closely with various local community leaders and groups within TMP in building support for its establishment. Groups such as the Berungus Community, Maliangin Community, the Banggi Youth Club, Kudat Turtle Conservation Society, and the Persatuan Pemilik Kapal Nelayan Kudat (Kudat Fishing Boat Owners Association) have been strong partners in continuing to raise awareness and support for TMP,” he said. Dr Sharma acknowledged the enormity of the responsibilities that come with the management of an area as large as Tun Mustapha Park. WWF-Malaysia is committed to continue supporting the Sabah State Government in the coming years to operationalise TMP. WWF-Malaysia looks forward to continue offering technical support to Sabah Parks and working with other agencies, the private sector, local communities and other non-governmental organisations to ensure that a solid management plan is implemented to ensure the sustainable use of resources in the Park, he added. When WWF recognised the Sabah State Government with the Leaders for a Living Planet award in April 2015, Dr Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International said, “The gazettement of Tun Mustapha Park is a globally significant action that will boost the conservation and biodiversity of this uniquely rich natural environment. It will also do much to ensure the sustainable management of the significant marine resources in the area.” “Effective management of the Tun Mustapha Park will help ensure the viability of the area’s fisheries resources – and high quality ecotourism can provide hugely increased value, based on this natural treasure. The gazettement of this park should act as a model and an inspiration for marine conservation worldwide,” added Dr Lambertini. The establishment of TMP heralds a new way of park management in Sabah. It will be an IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature – Category VI Park where sustainable uses are still allowed and local communities living within it are able to continue their activities within designated zones. The productive fishing grounds in the area support more than 80,000 people in coastal and island communities, generating around 100 tonnes of fish catch each day. Tun Mustapha Park is evidence of Malaysia’s commitment to the Coral Triangle Initiative and contribution towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Target of at least 10% marine areas protected and managed. Source : The Borneo Post
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20May

Up to airlines on direct flight to Sandakan

KOTA KINABALU: It is up to the airline companies if they want to provide direct flights to and from Sandakan, said Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming yesterday. When asked by reporters if his ministry would help to realise the establishing of direct flights to Sandakan from international destinations, like Singapore, Pang said that while the ministry welcomed such idea, it had to be understood that airline companies were private entities and they would only be proactive to the idea if they see the viability of such a decision. “It is up to the studies that they carry out. We have proposed to AirAsia and also to Malaysia Airlines before … but they didn’t think it was viable,” he said. He added that having direct flights from international origins have a huge impact on the tourism sector of the destination. “There will be a hike in tourism arrivals,” he said, citing one of the impacts that would take place. Pang said his ministry would continue to promote other destinations in Sabah to airline companies and discuss with them the sustainability of such flights. Source : The Borneo Post
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20May

Jeju Air to bring in more Korean tourists from July

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah could see an increase in Korean tourist arrivals once Jeju Air officially enters the state’s airspace on July 20, this year. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, who announced this here yesterday, is optimistic that the arrivals will increase above 2015’s 138,867, especially with Korea’s positive economic development. He said the combination of existing major Korean airlines, Asiana Airlines, Eastarjet and Jin Air with Jeju Air would increase the total flights to 28 a week with 704 seats sold daily. Jeju Air will provide direct flights between Kota Kinabalu and Incheon. “I think this is a very good development because it gives the space for more tourists from Korea to come to Sabah, and it is our hope, it will boost the tourism in Sabah, specifically and in Malaysia, in general,” said Masidi, when launching the ASEAN-Korea Tourism Capacity Building Workshop. “This is a good start. I think Koreans know Sabah very well, obviously, but I think there are also Koreans who still need more information about Sabah. Our advantage is that there are many Koreans living in Kota Kinabalu and that makes them feel at home, which I think is an advantage for us,” he added. However, the minister affirmed that there is a need to expand the promotion of Sabah beyond Korea’s capital and largest metropolis, Seoul. In 2014, Sabah received 114,240 tourist arrivals from Korea and according to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) Malaysia and Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Korean visitors into Malaysia and Malaysian visitors into Korea were 421,161 and 223,350 respectively in 2015. According to Masidi, the January to March 2016 projection this year for South Korea had increased by 33.9% from 38,179 to 51,123, China increased by 60.3% from 55,364 to 88,746, Taiwan increased by 8.3% from 8,912 to 9,653, Australia increased by 16.3% from 6,362 to 7,402 and Brunei by 0.3% from 22,848 to 22,915. Source : The Borneo Post
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