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Brief tourists on do’s and don’ts, tour operators told BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Brief tourists on do’s and don’ts, tour operators told

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 11:03 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Tour operators were urged to brief tourists on the do's and don'ts to observe during their visit here, especially like not retaining or keeping possession of starfishes or stepping on corals found in the sea.

Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Pang Yuk Ming, said tour operators need to cooperate with the ministry to create an awareness on environmental preservation among tourists, particularly those who come from less environmentally conscious countries.

Taking Mantanani Island as an example, Pang said, the island is frequented by many foreign tourists that might not be well-versed in environmental preservation.

"They go to the island and seeing the beautiful flora and fauna there, take a starfish home with them," he said, adding that these were mostly foreign tourists

Some tourists, Pang said, caused the death of corals as they stepped on it during swimming or snorkeling.

With an increasing number of tourists each year, Pang pointed out the urgency for the ministry to provide a guideline and to work with tour operators.

"Before bringing any tourists to a site, (tour operators) can brief them about the dos and don'ts to observe. We hope tour operators can cooperate with us to reduce the impact on the environment," Pang said.

He said this at a press conference after officiating at a seminar on 'Environmental Management: Issues and Challenges of Islands Management in Sabah' and the launching of the Integrated Environmental Information Management System (IEIMS) here yesterday.

Pang said the ministry was focused on educating tourists rather than carry out enforcements against the visitors.

On a related matter, Pang raised the question of the sheer numbers of tourists visiting the islands daily.

"There are so many tourists who visit the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, more than 1,000 tourists daily on one small island.

"The questions are, can we increase the current capacity or facilities (on the islands) or do we need to limit the number of visitors to certain islands?"

He said studies have to be carried out to determine the need to expand the facilities on islands or to limit the number of island visitors.

Citing Mabul Island as another example, Pang said there were so many tourists and resorts on the island.

"The island's capacity cannot accommodate the number of tourists and resorts."

Pang said it was important that the government and stakeholders play a part to implement plans that safeguard the environment for the long term.

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Cop held over theft of vehicle with child

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 09:52 AM PST

by Elton Gomez. Posted on December 19, 2013, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabahan policeman based in Negeri Sembilan was arrested in Sandakan on suspicion of stealing a pick-up truck with a five-year-old boy inside.

The incident happened on Sunday, Dec 15 around 10.30am in Kunak, while the corporal, believed to be mentally ill, was arrested two days later on Dec 17.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said initial police investigation showed the boy's sister-in-law had left the child, Mohd Said Maskor, in the backseat of the Toyota Vigo with the engine running outside his house in Kampung Bagiang.

"After a few minutes in the house, the father came out only to find his vehicle driven away by someone.

"Following a police report lodged and continuous investigation, police arrested the suspect in Sandakan on Tuesday.

"The five-year-old boy is also safe and has been reunited with his family," said Hamza, adding that the boy was not harmed in the incident.

Hamza was speaking at a press conference after officiating at the 'National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS 8)' blood donation campaign, a joint communication between the Royal Malaysian Police and the Royal Malaysian Army at Komplexs Karamunsing here yesterday.

Present during at the event were Sabah Navy Region Two commander Rear Admiral Mohd Datuk Rosland Omar, Fifth Brigade commander Brigadier General Datuk Ranjit Singh Ramday, Acting Fifth Brigade commander cum administrative staff officer Lt. Col. Ramli Sukardi, Sabah Deputy Police Commissioner P/DCP Datuk Abdul Malek Hj Harun and Dr. Shanaz Sabri from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital blood bank unit.

Hamza said police have yet to determine the suspect's motive but investigation showed he was suffering from mental problems.

"The suspect has been remanded to facilitate police investigation under Section 365 and Section 379A of the Penal Code," he said.

It is learnt that the suspect is attached to the Negeri Sembilan narcotics division, and was on vacation in Sabah when the incident happened.

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Lawyer to challenge 15-stroke caning for Sabahan Vui Kong

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 09:52 AM PST

by Nancy Lai. Posted on December 19, 2013, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: The change in Singapore laws has not only saved the life of Sabahan Yong Vui Kong but also those of 34 others, including several Malaysians on death row in Singapore.

According to Vui Kong's lawyer, M Ravi, the changes in Singapore's law was the result of the numerous constitutional challenges lodged by him on behalf of his client who was sentenced to hang for drug trafficking.

Ravi, who was in Sabah for a few days, told reporters during a dinner with Vui Kong's family on Tuesday night, admitted that, initially, they were not hopeful of the case making any difference but were driven to proceed because each time we lodged a constitutional challenge on Vui Kong, the law evolved in the courts.

"The judges were opening up. First time his execution was stayed, the Singapore government argued that the courts do not have the power to grant a stay. Everything about Vui Kong's case was a first (and) we challenged so many existing laws in Singapore, the presidential clemency, the mandatory death sentence and prosecutorial discretion… all these things were under review.

"Most important outcome is the change in the law finally, and what is even more heartening is that he has saved 34 other lives because the last execution was in August 2009, before his scheduled execution, December 4, 2009.

"Since then, about seven legal challenges have been brought to court… the law evolved, it showed the loopholes and it delayed the execution of the 34 on the death row. Whenever you lodge a constitutional challenge, it affects all inmates and citizens' rights so therefore they can't be executed," Ravi stressed.

Vui Kong, 25, from Sandakan, was sentenced to death after he was convicted on January 7, 2009, for trafficking in 47gms of a controlled drug, diamorphine, on June 13, 2007, a capital offence under Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act. He was only 18 when he was arrested. He will now be imprisoned for life and given 15 strokes of the cane.

Last year, the Singapore Government announced changes to the mandatory death penalty, allowing death row inmates to be given a lighter sentence if they met certain conditions. If the Attorney-General finds that they meet these conditions, it will issue a Certificate of Co-operation (CoC) allowing the inmate to apply to the courts for the death sentence to be set aside and to be re-sentenced.

According to a statement by the Singapore Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) in September, Yong and Subashkaran Pragasam, a Singaporean on death row, have assisted the Central Narcotics Bureau in disrupting drug trafficking activities within and outside Singapore.

The AGC said, if Subashkaran and Yong were able to prove to the court on a balance of probabilities that they were traffickers who only played the role of couriers, the prosecution will leave the sentence to the discretion of the court.

Subashkaran and Vui Kong were the first two people awaiting capital punishment, who the Public Prosecutor decided to issue certificates of substantive assistance under the amended Misuse of Drugs Act.

Ravi said that he will also be challenging the sentence of 15 strokes of the cane imposed on Vui Kong as it is cruel and inhumane.

"Vui Kong weighs only 47kg now and he is not in the best of health. The court imposing 15 strokes of the cane, to me, it is very excessive as the Court has already given him life imprisonment. What is it that you are going to achieve by imposing this punishment? Honestly, it is cruel and unusual, inhuman treatment and punishment under international law.

"I have just notified the Prisons (authority) this morning that next week I will be filing an application for an order to restrain the Prisons from caning him on account that the judicial caning violates the international customary law which says that caning is a form of cruel, inhuman, punishment and treatment. And I will also be arguing under Singapore constitutional law why it is so.

"The second round will be that it violates the equal protection clause of Singapore because men and women should be treated equal. I am not saying that women should be caned but that men should not be caned," Ravi said.

According to Ravi, he met Vui Kong two weeks ago and the latter is extremely happy to have his life back. Vui Kong has also expressed his intention to get an education and has informed the prisons authorities about it.

"I understand from him that the Prisons had said to him this is only meant for Singaporeans so I will be writing to them to find out if there is such a policy, to make an exception because if he is allowed to study he will be a great scholar," Ravi stressed.

Meanwhile, Yong's father pleaded with the Singapore Government to reduce the caning sentence for his son as the latter is weak. He added that he will be arranging to visit Vui Kong soon.

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PKR names seven new div chiefs

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 09:51 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The names of seven Parti KeADILan Rakyat (PKR) divisional leaders in Sabah were announced by the state liaison chairman Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin here, yesterday.

Lajim who spoke to reporters after chairing the state PKR Political Bureau meeting said the seven divisional chiefs were appointed to replace those who had resigned from the party recently.

"Their appointments are based on the newly amended and endorsed party constitution which states that should a divisional chief post become vacant, the deputy divisional chief will be appointed to fill it," Lajim said.

He added that there were grouses and voices of dissent among some of the members but stressed that the state leadership's decision was made based on the party's constitution.

"The previous constitution states that if the divisional chief post is vacated, the deputy will be appointed as the acting chief but under the new constitution endorsed recently, the deputy will automatically be the chief. In the instance that both the chief and deputy posts are vacant, then the vice will be the new chief," he stressed.

The seven new divisional chiefs are Abd Wahid Jainal (Silam), Imran Abd Rahman (Putatan), Wedhuru @ Mohd Zahir (Kota Marudu), James Chia (Sandakan) Juharan Kalmin (Kalabakan), Masdin Thomas (Tenom) and Datu Pengiran Ahmad Datu Alam (Semporna).

Lajim also announced the appointment of state Women Movement Information chief Nuriah Jamirun as the Kota Marudu Women Movement chief. Nuriah will also be coordinating the Kudat division Women Movement.

He added that Adris Taripin, who was Tenom acting divisional chief, would be retained as a state supreme council and political bureau member. Adris will also be the coordinator for the Tenom division.

"We express our gratitude to Adris for taking on the responsibility and also for carrying out his duty as acting Tenom divisional chief," Lajim said.

He stressed that all the new divisional chiefs had assured the state leadership that they would ensure that PKR remained strong and solid.

They will also stay in the post until the party election next year.

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Move to ensure island resorts eco-friendly

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 09:51 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment is in the process of creating guidelines to control tourism activities in sensitive areas such as islands, forest reserves, parks and rivers.

One of the aspects that the ministry is looking into are policies to control and provide management standards of resort developments, especially island resorts, to ensure that the resorts built are eco-friendly.

Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Pang Yuk Ming, said the ministry has conducted a study and would later come up with an action plan to control the islands in Sabah.

"We will carry out zoning initially, conduct a thorough study to identify all the islands in Sabah and determine what suitable sectors can be done on each islands such as quarry, tourism and agriculture."

With an expected increase in tourist arrivals of up to 3.2 million this year, Pang said, there was a need to create more facilities such as resorts and hotels.

However, the ministry sees a lack of standards in resort developments, where operators build resorts that are not environmentally friendly, nor do they consider the environmental impact where the resorts are built, he said.

Pang said a system needed to be in place to regulate human waste and sewerage from island resorts, to make sure that the waste were treated and not just being disposed into the sea.

Whilst resort developers have to comply with safety standards imposed by the local government, Pang said, there has yet to be guidelines in place pertaining to developments in environmentally sensitive areas.

"We hope in the short term we are able to come up with policies to be implemented especially in areas under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environment, Sabah Parks and Wildlife Department, whereby resorts to be built must meet certain standards," he said.

Pang said this when officiating at a seminar on 'Environmental Management: Issues and Challenges of Islands Management in Sabah' and the launching of the Integrated Environmental Information Management System (IEIMS) here yesterday.

"This (Sabah) is a top world class destination. We have one of the best dive sites, oldest forest reserves in the world. We must protect our environment so that the environment can contribute to our economy eternally," Pang said.

The guidelines or action plans will also extend to boats used along Kinabatangan river, to ensure boat operators utilize engines that do not cause too much noise.

On another note, Pang urged government agencies to carry out their tasks efficiently, in terms of enforcing the regulations.

He said a company has planted trees in riparian reserves in Kinabatangan but the relevant agency has not taken action against the company despite the years that have passed.

He also called on the people to cooperate with the government to report environmental pollution incidences.

Earlier on, Pang said there were more than 439 islands in Sabah, some of them have been developed with various socio-economic activities particularly tourism. On the other hand, part of the islands have yet to be developed, be it for the fishing, agriculture, forestry, silica mining, quarry or as a new tourism destination.

In view of this, the government has envisioned an integrated management plan as a reference to all parties responsible in planning, controlling and considering development proposals on the islands in Sabah to ensure the developments do not affect the environment.

On IEIMS, Pang said that the on-line or web based system aimed to facilitate matters between the government and private sector such as the checking of environmental impact assessment (EIA) status, submission of reports and registration of environmental consultants.

The public can also lodge an environmental complaint and be informed of its status via the Internet. He added that the public especially young children could also learn about government policies by tapping into IEIMS.

Also present at the event was the deputy permanent secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, William Baya and the director of Environment Protection Department, Yabi Yangkat.

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Advanced screening system next year to prevent entry of terror, crime suspects

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 09:49 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Immigration Department will be implementing an Advanced Passenger Screening System (APSS) to curb movement of criminals.

Its director-general, Datuk Alias Ahmad said the department would work with their counterpart, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore, to study the system, which would be introduced next year.

He said the APSS, which is being carried out in its pilot stage in Singapore, would be able to immediately check the background of a passenger once they check in using their passport.

"If they are found to have a criminal record or blacklisted for such reasons, they will not be allowed passage to Malaysia," he said.

Alias said the department is now in the development process whereby it will be tabled in three months time for the government to analyse.

"Once the government approves this system, we will need another four to six months' time for its concept stage," he said after chairing a bilateral meeting with the Singapore ICA discussing on issues relating to immigrant movements in these two nations.

Alias said collaboration with their Singapore counterpart was important in view of the active migrant movement in and out of these two countries via the Johor checkpoint.

Meanwhile, Alias said they were also considering an online visa registration as well as visa registration via biometric methods in future.

However he said it is still under discussion and plans have not been made to implement online and biometric registrations.

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