25th Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2011
As the 25th Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon drew to a close with the Men Open category on Sunday, 23 October 2011, the two world's skyrunning champions, Kilian Jornet (ESP) and Marco De Gasperi (ITA) finished first and second respectively, with only a mere 44 seconds difference. Despite being the first to touch the summit at 1h37'49", De Gasperi was overtaken by Jornet in the final stretch of the race, finishing the race in 2h37'04". Luis Hernando Alberto (ESP) finished third just 5 minutes after De Gasperi's 2h37'48", clocking in 2h42'36". Last year's second placer, Sudip Kulung (NEP) finished fourth this year when he overtook Japanese Toru Miyahara in a sprint at the final kilometre ...

[+]Read more

Foreign tourists laud Govt's decision to limit visitors to Sipadan Island
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2011
TAWAU: Foreign tourists laud the state government's decision to limit the number of visitors, especially divers, on the island of Sipadan in a move to protect the rich marine bio-diversity. A tourist from Scotland, John McMillan, 70, described it as a wise move to preserve the area as one of the world's top five diving spots. He has been to Sipadan three times and each time he is even more convinced that there must be a concerted effort to protect the island and its marine life. As an avid diver, he is still awed by the wealth of diverse marine life that can be seen so abundantly in Sipadan but very rarely anywhere else in the world. "There are barracudas and Jack fish that come in big ...

[+]Read more

Tun Sakaran Marine Park to have more diving spots
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2011
SEMPORNA: The Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP) here will be used as a springboard to encourage eco-tourism when over 50 areas boasting of attractive corals and marine life are transformed into diving spots. Sabah Parks director, Paul Basintal, said 56 spots were identified in the vicinity of the 35,000-hectare park which was gazette a marine park in 2005. Currently, he said, two areas near Pulau Mantabuan and Pulau Sibuan were open to tour operators to lure divers in limited numbers. "The other diving areas would be open in stages to enable close monitoring, especially by limiting the number of divers at one time," he told Bernama after opening a Coral Identification Workshop in Pulau ...

[+]Read more

Filipino mayor to attend Mt KinabaluClimbathon
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Mayor Oscar Camantiles of Itogon municipality in the mountain province of Benguet, Phillippines, will be leading a delegation to Sabah to witness the 25th Mt KinabaluClimbathon and offer support to the 26 registered Filipino participants taking part. Benguetis, located in the northern island of Luzon, is the host venue of the PilipinasAkyathlon, the country's first international Skyrace® and part of the 2011 Skyrunner® World Series Trails to be held in November this year. According to Nina Dacanay, President of the Philippines Skyrunning Federation, the delegation is keen to observe the Mt Kinabalu Climbathon which has been successfully organized for the last 25 ...

[+]Read more

Sipadan Kapalai resort waste method to become case study
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011
SEMPORNA: The Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort's waste management practice will be made a case study by the Ministry of Tourism as part of efforts to preserve and converse the beauty and natural environment of islands marked as tourist destinations in the country. Tourism Ministry Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said the case study was important since it could be made as a guideline before the ministry comes out with a certain policy on good waste management practice for island resorts and hotels. "We will be looking at this (waste management in Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort) as a case study to see how the ministry can look at a policy to implement such a system. "It is not an overnight study but ...

[+]Read more

Gomantong Caves: Vital source of edible bird's nests in Sabah
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2011
SANDAKAN: The Gomantong Caves are the largest and most important source of edible bird's nests in Sabah. It is an intricate cave system inside Gomantong Hill, which is the largest limestone outcrop in the Lower Kinabatangan area. Situated in a forest reserve, nearly two hours' drive from here, the caves and the surrounding area are a protected area for wildlife, especially orangutans. The main cave system is divided into two parts: the more accessible Simud Hitam (Black Cave), and the larger Simud Putih (White Cave) which lies above. The cave system is home to many other animals, including massive populations of cockroaches and bats. Outside one can see crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, ...

[+]Read more

Jota can promote tourism
Date Posted: 16 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: The "Jamboree on the Air" (Jota) programme organised by the Sabah branch of the Malaysian Scouting Association can be used to promote Sabah tourism, State Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Peter Pang En Yin on Sunday. He said the Jota programme, jointly organised by the Borneo Amateur Radio Club, could attract memebers of scouting associations in other countries to come to Sabah. Members of the scout movement could be tourism ambbassadors to promote Sabah, he said at the closing of the 54th World Jota programme here. The text of Pang's speech was read by Assistant Minister of Youths and Sports Datuk Jahid Jahim. Pang said activities carried out by the scout movement were ...

[+]Read more

Ng: Coral reefs vital tourism diving product
Date Posted: 16 Oct 2011
SEMPORNA: Coral reefs are a very important tourism diving product for Malaysia which can be considered a high yielding product, said Tourism Minister, Dato Seri Ng Yen Yen here. "in 2010, Semporna recorded approximately 40,000 visitors, including 40 per cent from China who came to dive, with the tourist revenue for Semporna alone at RM190 million, at an average of RM3 million a week just for the diving in Semporna. She said Malaysia as a whole recorded a revenue of RM64 billion last year from the tourism industry with an average of RM1 billion a week. She said this during the 'Beautiful Malaysia' Largest Coral Painting Ceremony by some 50 divers organised by Astro, the event which entered ...

[+]Read more

Shark hunting illegal next year
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Shark hunting and finning will be banned in Sabah and its waters next year; as part of the State Government's commitment to protecting its remaining shark population. Shark populations in State waters are said to have dwindled by about 80 per cent mainly due to fishing activities. Most of the surviving populations are now detected in Tawau, Semporna and Kudat waters. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said efforts are currently being made at Ministry-level, through a technical committee headed by its Permanent Secretary, towards this purpose. He said the process would not involve any amendment but only to add shark into the list of protected ...

[+]Read more

Borneo Bird Festival from Oct 14 to 16
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo Bird Festival will be held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sandakan from Oct 14-16 with activities specially designed for bird lovers. Birding experts from the USA, UK, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia will be giving talks and lectures on a series of topics that will appeal to individuals of diverse interest. Chairman if Sabah Tourism Board, Datuk Seri Tengku Z. Adlin, said, "Our experts are discovering more bird species that are endemic to Borneo." "Families and students are encouraged to come to this educational event as there are a lot of activities lined up for them as well," he said. A bird photography competition, bird photography race and bird race ...

[+]Read more

Glaucome trio almost make it to the top
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: They may have almost lost their sight but they have conquered Mount Kinabalu, well almost. The Glaucoma Society of Malaysia (GMS), in their bid to raise RM1 million to set up their centre and mobile centres, sent three glaucoma patients along with seven volunteers from the society to scale the mountain since Oct 10. All three of them didn't make it to the top but came close before they stopped because of cramps. "It is part of the society's programme for this year. We have already raised some RM26,000," said 50 years-old Stevens Chan, the society's founder, here, Wednesday. With the money the society aims to equip the centre with screening equipment and medicines needed ...

[+]Read more

50 from around the world join Kinabalu Charity Expedition
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Some 50 climbers from across the world participated in the two-day McMillan Woods Mt Kinabalu Charity Expedition, which ended on Monday, to raise funds for the less fortunate nationwide. The event initiator, Dato' Raymond Liew, President of the McMillan Woods Global, said the idea was initiated by the realisation that many charitable foundations are crying out for assistance, not just financially but in terms of manpower. He said this during a welcome dinner hosted by the Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, here, Tuesday. "Each day, more and more children and old folk are being abandoned, women being abused, more hardship, more suffering and ...

[+]Read more

Monument erected at the centre of Sabah
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: The exact centre of Sabah is on a hill 582.4m above sea-level, about 280km from the State Capital in the Pinangah Forest Reserve in Telupid. The location was determined with help from the Quantity Surveying and Mapping Department, Land and Survey Department and Forestry Department. "We did it slowy, bit by bit and now we are all delighted to have marked the exact point of the centre of Sabah. It is a rewarding feeling," said RISM (Royal Institute of surveyors Malaysia) Sabah branch chairman Benard Sia. The centre of Sabah where the monument sits now has been named Bukit RISM. The trail to the top of the hill from the nearest vehicle access point is 3.6km, which takes about ...

[+]Read more

568 runners for climbathon
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2011
KOTA KINABALU: 568 runners are set to take part in the 25th Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon this Oct 22-23. For the first time the number of participants from Peninsular Malaysia topped Sabah with 230 to 156 runners, while countries like Singapore and Philippines sent most with 33 and 26 respectively. "It has exceeded out target. It is in line with the organisers and Ministry's aim to promote the State as a tourism spot," said Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister, Datuk Ellron Angin at the Ministry's office in Thursday. Defending champion Italian Marco De Gasperi and record holders like Sudip Kulung from Nepal, local Safrey Sumping and Anna Frost will also make an ...

[+]Read more

MT Kinabalu climb to promote Visit Perak Year
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2011
IPOH: Fifteen media personnel from Perak will scale the country's highest peak, Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, in December to promote the Visit Peark Year 2012. The programme is organised by the Perak Media Sports and Welfare Club in collaboration with the State Government to promote the event in Sabah. Club Secretary, Kamaruzaman Yusof, said the club was now in the process of selecting those capable of taking up the challenge to climb the 4,095-metre mountain. "They need to have the stamina to complete the challenge," he told reporter here, adding that the date would be determined later by the Sabah Parks. Participants would distribute Perak tourism leaflets and take part several tourism ...

[+]Read more

Dancers make Sabah proud in Korea
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2011
ANSEONG (Korea): Local team, Erra Budaya Pappar did Sabah proud when it represented Malaysia in the World Folklore Pre Festival at Anseong City, located one and a half-hour from Seoul, a spokeperson for the team said. The team which has been in Anseong since Sept 30, will be performing various Malaysian dance performances, including from Sabah, and other Malay dances. Among their dance performances are Sumazau Penampang, Sazau Papar, Limbai, Mengilok Anggalang, Magunatip, Inang, Zapin, Joget and Wau Bulan. The Malaysian team is staying at the Lake Hill resort and the cold weather did not dampen the team's spirit in promoting the uniqueness of its Malaysian culture and even came dressed ...

[+]Read more