News & Updates from KePKAS

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
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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
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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.
With a five-star rating, ATI College has been in operation for 21 years. Wong said it is the only homegrown skill training institution in Sabah offering tourism-related courses, and also trains potential tourist guides. These include Diploma in Diving & Resort Management, Diploma in Tourism Management, Diploma in Hotel Management, Diploma in Culinary Arts, Diploma in Pastry Arts and Certificate in Culinary Arts. Based on a study, he said approximately 40,000 students graduate at SPM level each year but only 20,000 of them pursue further studies. "What will happen to the other 20,000?" he asked. In his briefing, Wong, who is also Chairman of MICCI Sabah Branch, disclosed that there is 95pc employability of graduates within the Tourism, Culinary and F&B Industry. "The remaining 5pc either start their own business in the F&B Industry or venture into other economic sectors," he said. According to him, ATI College graduates are much sought after by hotels at the operational and managerial levels, apart from travel agencies. Wong, however, lamented that trainers in the tourism sector are "unsung heroes" in that not much attention was paid to their grievances in the past. He did not elaborate. "I hope the Minister will look into this aspect. Trainers are contributing significantly to manpower development in Malaysia," he added. Meanwhile, the Minister said some of the suggestions made by the delegation are in the pipeline awaiting implementation. "For instance, the Ministry through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) is in the process of converting Gaya Street into a 'walking street' for tourists only at night. This is an ideal place for them to sample local delicacies and buy Sabah souvenirs. It is opening soon. The spot will be closed to traffic temporarily. We will try it out for three nights a week, and if it works well, then we will have it every night," Liew enthused. She was responding to John Lo, a member of the ATI Board of Governors, who said based on feedback from Chinese tourists, they have no place to spend their money while holidaying in the State capital. She also took note of his call for the revival of the now-defunct Sabah International Hotels Association (Siha), which had been absorbed by the Malaysia Association of Hotels (Mah). She reiterated that the issues of managing dirty toilets, opening of more Immigration counters at the KKIA and making available Chinese-speaking officers to cater to Chinese tourists, were being addressed. "Malaysia Airports Bhd (MAB) has assured me that everything will be in order by the end of the year," she said. The meeting with the Minister also revolved around tourism tax, shortage of tourist guides in Sandakan and Tawau, RSTG (Regional Sabah Tourist Guide) Training Course which offers a JPK Skill Certificate for Tour Guide (JPK is Department of Skill Development) and the Sabah Hospitality Fiesta. According to RSTG Lead Trainer Lim Su Khiong, this programme is only for Sabah where the training curriculum was designed by tourism players. "Rest assured, I will work on what has been raised. And I will look into the suggestion that a 'mystery shopper' programme be put in place. The purpose is for 'mystery shoppers' to check out things on the ground and report directly to me. In fact, I am a 'mystery shopper' myself. Every time I travel, I would check the condition of toilets at the KKIA or those at other airports in major towns," she said. Others in the ATI delegation were Chairman of ATI Board of Governors, Datuk Gabriel William, Assistant CEO (Academic/Administration), Marcus Solibun, Assistant CEO (Corporate & Skill), Romy Al-Hami Azeer, Head of Culinary Arts cum Chairman, Sabah Hospitality Fiesta, Alvin Ting and Head of Tourism, Ruhaidah Mohd Yusof. Meanwhile, President of MICCI, Datuk C.K. Tan said licensing is controlled by Motac (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture) whereby vans owned by resorts and hotels are not allowed to pick up passengers from the airport and bring them from one place to another, prompting. Wong to call for a devolution of power by the Federal Government in this respect. "I will also look into this," said Liew. Also present were MICCI Sabah Branch Vice-Chairman, Datuk Susan Chang, Executive Committee Member, Reuben Lim and Sabah Branch Manager, Stella Liew as well as STB General Manager Suzaini Datuk Sabdin Ghani and senior Ministry official Mary Malangking.   Source: Daily Express
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15Oct

Architects urged to design exciting eco-tourism buildings in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Members of the architecture industry are encouraged to create interesting and sustainable designs for resorts amidst the booming tourism industry in Sabah.

Deputy Chief Minister and state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said architects have an important role to play in designing exciting tourism buildings that will be in harmony with the environment.

“In your design or planning, please always think of sustainable architecture that will protect and preserve the pristine environment, so that the natural beauty can be enjoyed by the generations to come.

“As the world is going green, eco-resorts are a trend. We should make our tourism resorts compliant to green-building certification, so we can proudly tell the world that all our tourism resorts are truly eco-friendly,” Liew said when speaking representatives from the architecture industry at the launch of Borneo Architecture Festival (BAF) 2018 here, today. Present was Malaysian Architect Organisation’s Sabah Chapter chairman Arnold Kwan.

The fourth Borneo Architecture Festival was aimed at providing a platform for local and international architects to share their experience and knowledge about architectural tourism.

Meanwhile, Kwan, in his speech, said architecture and tourism were closely related as architecture eventually become tourist attractions.

“It’s always a trend, especially in all major cities around the world today, to preserve and transform old structures into tourist attractions. A classic example is Sydney in Australia, where the old city has been successfully transformed into a trendy and vibrant commercial district by maintaining the old architectural design.

“In Sabah, our asset and strength have always been the colourful multiethnic people and the rich biodiversity such as Mount Kinabalu, Sipadan island, wildlife, as well as the flora and fauna in the state’s virgin forests.

“All these can be a great inspiration for more dialogue and debates as well as experimentation in architecture. I also urged all architects to be mindful of our heritage be it natural or man-made things as these need to be preserved for our future generation,” he said.

  Source: New Straits Times
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11Oct

Hundreds throng Cultural Float Parade

Kota Kinabalu: Hundreds lined the roads from Bundusan to Bukit Padang for the Cultural Float Parade, on Saturday evening. The parade was hosted by the Che Hor Khor Moral Uplifting Society in conjunction with the Official Birthday of Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin. A dozen colourful floats, depicting various cultural, landmark, floral and fauna figures lighted up the roads as bystanders grabbed the opportunity to snap photos with them. The parade was flagged-off at the Wong Kwok Go-Kart before making it way to Bukit Padang, while passing by a grand stand for guests of honour set up next to the Church of Mary Immaculate. The parade was participated by temples, schools, as well as Sabah Tourism Board (STB). Also taking part was a lantern procession and a school marching band. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister cum Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the event showcased the rich and diverse cultures of the various ethnic populace in Sabah as the floats' designs and construction reflect such diversity. "It can also promotes unity and harmony as well as an avenue to promote the tourism sector," she said in an officiating speech read by Api-Api community development leader Grace Lee. "Tourists can witness and experience the diversity of our culture and heritage through this colourful and joyful event." She also hoped the Che Hor Khor Moral Uplifting Society will continue their generous spirit in lending a helping hand to the community. "The society is well known for their charitable works and an ever willing spirit to help improve the social welfare of the needy in various remote areas of Sabah, such as providing financial aid to the families of the mountain guides who perished in the earthquake a few years back, as well as to the flood and fire victims in Penampang and Kudat," she said. Che Hor Khor Moral Uplifting Society President Wong Sound Sing said he hoped the event will be turned into an annual affair to help promote tourism in the State. The organisation, he said, was established in 2002 with the prime objectives of promoting good moral values as well as to carry out charitable deeds. "Among the recent contributions by the society were the donation of daily essentials and stationery to the fire victims of SMK Datuk Mojuntin hostel in Penampang and financial aid to SM Pei Tsin hostel in Kudat," he said. Also present were Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin, Likas assemblyman Tan Lee Fatt, Luyang assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe and United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu president Datuk Susan Wong, and Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce Sabah Branch president Datuk Frankie Liew. - Ricardo Unto   Source: Daily Express
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