Survey reveals Malua Biobank as key area for orangutan conservation
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Results from recent ground and aerial surveys of the Malua Biobank in Sabah reveal the area to be one of the most important refuges for orangutan in Borneo. The Sabah Forestry Department's Malua Wildlife Unit Leader, Hadrin Lias led the surveys and said the orangutan population is benefiting from current conservation activities in the 34,000 Ha of lowland rainforest known as Malua Biobank. Logging in Malua ceased in 2007 and since then the habitat for orangutan has remained undisturbed and the area is regularly patrolled. Dr. Marc Ancrenaz, an international expert on orangutan, assisted and trained the Malua Wildlife Unit to undertake the surveys. He believes that the ...

[+]Read more

Batu Punggul to be developed as a tourist resort - Ellron
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2011
Keningau: Batu Punggul is to be developed as a tourist resort in order to attract more tourists from within and outside the country. Assistant Minister of Culture, Tourism and Environment, Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin, said a working paper on the development of Batu Punggul has been submitted to the authorities concerned. In the paper, he said, the tourism products available in the area surrounding Batu Punggul have been highlighted. "To develop the area, we need to get approval from the Forest Department as it lies within a protected forest reserves" he said during the closing of the "tagal" harvest event at Kg. Ansip, near here on Saturday. Ellron, who is also state assemblyman for Sook, ...

[+]Read more

More tourists after KK made hub: Minister
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah registered 1,093,518 tourist arrivals as of May this year, said Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Bolkiah Ismail. The figure was based on statistic released by the Sabah Tourism Board, which also stated that 2,504,669 tourists visited Sabah in 2010. According to Bolkiah, international arrivals increased ever since Sabah was made the eastern hub for tourists to come to Malaysia with a direct flight from Perth to Kota Kinabalu as well as from other eastern destinations such as Haneda (Japan), Seoul (Korea), Shenzhen (China) and others. The tourism industry in Sabah requires a lof of manpower to continue to grow, Bolkiah said when officiating ...

[+]Read more

Firefly targets 100,000 passengers annually with KL-Sandakan route
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2011
SANDAKAN: FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd, a unit of Malaysia Airline System Bhd (MAS), is targetting to fly 100,000 passengers, annually, from its new Kuala Lumpur - Sandakan route. "We are operating this new route with our newest Boeing 737-800, which has a seating capacity of 189," said Managing Director Datuk Eddy Leong. The community airline, which flies twice daily non-stop services between Kuala Lumpur and Sandakan, however, does not provide business class travel for its passengers. "We like to focus on less developed routes to make it more popular," he told reporters after the inaugural flight here yesterday. Under Firefly's code share agreement, passengers would be able to purchase tickets from ...

[+]Read more

Sandakan to enjoy tourism growth with Firefly's new route
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2011
SANDAKAN: Sandakan will be able to enjoy tourism growth with Firefly extending its wings to the district from the national capital. Sandakan Municipal Council president Datuk James Wong who expressed his confidence to the latest move by the community airline said that the district would expect more tourist arrivals with the new service. "This is a positive development for Sabah in term of tourism growth: he said after the arrival of the Firefly maiden flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan yesterday. He said local travelers would also benefit with the new service now that they have more options to choose from. According to him, the arrival of Firefly has improved the air service of ...

[+]Read more

Golden history tourism opportunity
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2011
KOTA KINABALU: Heritage advocator Richard Nelson Sokial believes historic townships in Sabah, particularly along the railroad, are untapped tourism resources. He listed several towns including Beaufort, Bongawan, Membakut, Papar, Kimanis, Kinarut and Weston as historical towns that flourished - thanks to the North Borneo railroad started in 1896 by the British North Borneo Chartered Company administration. "Many young Sabahans do not even know that these towns have their own history. For instance, the town of Weston was named after Arthur J. West, the railroad engineer who built the first rail from Bukau to Beaufort township between 1896-1900. "Therefore, the town of Weston can trace its ...

[+]Read more