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<b>Sarawak&#39;s</b> narrow escape in FA Cup opener - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

<b>Sarawak&#39;s</b> narrow escape in FA Cup opener - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 22 Jan 2014 11:04 AM PST

by Matthew Umpang, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 23, 2014, Thursday

KUCHING: Sarawak had a torrid time seeing off the challenge of a resilient Penang side at the Stadium Negeri last Tuesday in the FA Cup first round match.

New Iranian import Alireza Abbasfard found the net via a header in the 75th minute which deflected off Penang's goalie G Jeevanathan after he failed to catch the ball following a corner kick set-piece.

Alireza entered the game in the second half for Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli.

Penang managed to equalise in the dying seconds of the game courtesy of a long range shot by Mohd Baser Napae.

The deciding goal came when another new Croc Gabor Gyepes fired a powerful shot from the edge of the Penang penalty box.

Although Sarawak now move to the next round with the 2-1 win, many fans wonder why their team had to struggle against a team which is newly promoted to the Premier League this season from the third tier FAM league.

Moreover, Penang played with ten men after Hariri Mohd Safii was ejected in the 62nd minute for a second yellow card.

After the match, Sarawak head coach Robert Alberts continued to emphasise the need for the team's foreign import players to play to form.

"They need to understand that the team rely on their performances. If they do not play well, then the team will also most probably not do well," he stressed.

Alireza did well to respond to his coach's criticism after a lack lustre performance last week against ATM with a goal.

Central defender Gabor also looked like he is gradually adapting to play in Malaysia.

Sarawak will next play against Selangor in the second round of the FA Cup.

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<b>Sarawak</b> and Brunei collaborate to organise Brunei Bird Race <b>...</b>

Posted: 22 Jan 2014 11:39 AM PST

KUCHING: Brunei Tourism is working on a collaboration with Sarawak Tourism to organise the Brunei Bird Race to be held in September this year.

Brunei Tourism officer Ak Zulkhairi Pg Abdul Razak highlighted yesterday that the bird race was one of the priority events on its tourism calendar.

The collaboration is still in the planning stage.

"We have the framework ready as we have done this with Sabah before," he told reporters at a media briefing on Brunei Tourism Update for the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) 2014 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.

"We are still awaiting response from Sarawak Tourism on further development of the plans," he said.

"Thereafter, we will need to identify key areas of bird species before sending invitations to participants from bird societies from all over the world."

Zulkhairi emphasised that Brunei Tourism was looking forward to the collaboration with Sarawak Tourism on the event.

Jungle trekking and bird watching would be among the highlights of activities at the bird race.

With a list of interesting tourism events throughout this year, Brunei is expecting a 3.1 per cent increase or 240,149 air arrivals and a revenue of US$166.7 million this year.

Zulkhairi revealed that according to statistics from January to October last year, Malaysia remained the top major tourist generating market with 47,551 air arrivals, followed by China and Indonesia.

He said Brunei wanted to promote itself as a destination in the Heart of Borneo (HOB) offering nature and ecological tourism.

"We want to focus on attracting tourists interested in nature and green environment as it is one of our important products," he elaborated.

Among the new tourism products to boost the Brunei tourism industry, Zulkhairi revealed, were the floating jetty to Temburong district opened early this year to provide accessibility to tourists.

Other products focusing on the green market segment included the 500-acre Acrotechnology Park for those interested in agriculture and horticulture, as well as Kampong Kidurong where seven waterfalls are located besides offering culture and heritage.

"We are also promoting our community-based tourism such as that in Kampong Kidurong which provides local villagers the opportunity to benefit from the tourism industry," he said.

"We are also crafting a War and Heritage Trail and upgrading Jerudong Park with water park, ferris wheel and a 21-hole mini golf course," he added.

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<b>Sarawak</b> &#39;a close brush with nature&#39; and exotic food – for Japanese <b>...</b>

Posted: 22 Jan 2014 09:47 AM PST

SIBU: Skyscraper cleaner Ryo Asaji from Tokyo has fallen in love with towns in Sarawak, which he said were impressively clean and close to nature.

The 38-year-old is currently touring the state on a bicycle.

He told reporters in front of Li Hua Hotel here yesterday that he had already visited Limbang, Brunei, Miri and Bintulu.

Ryo has been sojourning alone on a bicycle for two years.

"I started my journey in South Africa two years and eight months ago.

"I worked for three and-a-half years to earn enough for this journey," he said.

The Japanese said he loved Sarawak for the hospitality of its people and the exotic food.

Despite the wet weather, he said he has been very happy with his visit to the state.

"From Sibu I'll proceed to Kuching and thereafter, some other places in Kalimantan," he enthused.

Ryo said his current visit to the state was brief, and had not seen enough of the place.

"I'll definitely return," he said, with a big smile.

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Backup players gain exposure at Indonesian tourney – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 23 Jan 2014 10:02 AM PST

by Ting Tieng Hee, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 24, 2014, Friday

KUCHING: Sarawak Sukma XVII lawn tennis shadow team players gained valuable exposure at a tournament in Pontianak, Kalimantan, Indonesia recently despite not winning any title.

This tournament from Jan 16-19 is one of the competitions chosen for the state players to gain exposure in preparation for their challenge in Perlis from May 27 to June 4 .

The Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) sent a 12-member team including five female players and the best performer was Linda Liong who reached the girls singles final only to be beaten 6-3, 6-1 by Vita Taher.

Linda entered the final after beating compatriot Belinda Chai 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in the last four while another state player Cecelia Lai was beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Vita in the other semi-final. However, Kirstin Liong and Alia Azman were knocked out in the first round of the competition that saw 10 players contesting for the title.

In the boys singles, only Alvin Teng made it to the semi-finals where he fell 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 to M Faizol Riska.

The event was won by another Indonesian Arief Rahman who beat Faizol 6-2, 6-0 in the final.

Kenneth Tan, Rohaizat Achop Borhan Janang bowed out of the quarterfinals while Mohd Pauzi Zaki, Mohd Norhairi Khaidir, Rahmat Juimbai Borhan Janang and Gregory Tan were first round casualties.

In the boys team event, Indonesia edged Sarawak 3-2 with Rohizat and Kenneth Tan-Rahmat Juimbai Borhan Janang claiming the points for the visitors.

In the girls team competition the Indonesia team beat Sarawak 3-1.

Cecelia Lai delivered Sarawak's solitary point when she beat Finandya Suci 6-3, 6-4 in the second singles.

SLTA president Patrick Liew said the team that played in Pontianak was not the full team as the key players Mohd Assri Merzuki, Aries Elyaas Deen Hesham and Aslina Chua were training/studying in the US.

"It's more about preparing these back-up players for Sukma 2016 and we want them to get involved in tournaments outside Kuching and Sarawak," he said.

"It's a good mental preparation for the young players and we want them to see what is the standard of our Indonesian counterparts from Jakarta, East Kalimantan and West Kalimantan."

Liew added that the next exposure stint for the state players will be sometime in March in Bangkok, Thailand.

"We will be watching the political situation in Bangkok very closely before sending our players there for the training/tournament exposure," said Liew.

He said if the team cannot go to Thailand, the alternative venue would be in Manila, Philippines.

SLTA has set a target of capturing four gold medals from tennis in Perlis, with hopes pinned on Assri (men's singles), Ariez-Alvin Teng (men's doubles), Aslina (women's singles) and the team event.

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Defying orders from city authority - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 11:04 AM PST

Car park operator near SGH continues to ignore DBKU's warnings over exorbitant fees

KUCHING: Despite numerous warnings from Kuching North City Commission (DBKU), the private car park located opposite the main entrance of Sarawak General Hospital is still charging motorists RM5 per entry.

Following a public complaint, The Borneo Post went down to check and true enough a woman manning the car park asked for RM5 upon entry.

"There is no difference if you are parking for two hours or the whole day. Every entry is RM5. If you want reimbursement of RM2 for parking less than two hours, you have to park a bit further up there.

"The man manning the booth will give you back RM2 if you park less than two hours. I have no right to give you RM2 reimbursement," the woman explained.

However, the receipt she issued to The Borneo Post reporter did not state the time of entry, so one wonders how the 'man' would agree to a RM2 reimbursement.

There is no signboard explaining to car park patrons about the fee structure, including the possibility of requesting for a reimbursement. The only signboard available is placed near the entrance booth, but it merely screams 'Private car park, RM5'.

A member of the public, Abang Muis from Sebuyau, had parked there yesterday for about half an hour to pick up medicine for his wife, and he was charged RM5.

"We came from so far away and we have to pay so much just to park there. This is too much. For short parking of less than two hours, the fee should not be more than RM3.

"For those who park the whole day, perhaps RM5 is okay," he said, adding that he parked there from 2.28pm to 2.55pm.

Meanwhile, DBKU commission member Dato Wee Hong Seng, when contacted, said the last parking fee agreed upon between the operator and DBKU was RM3 for those parking less than four hours, and RM5 for full-day parking.

"DBKU is very serious about this matter, and we will solve it. Two warning letters have been sent and if they continue to overcharge we will issue the third letter. Once the third issue is out, we are not going to look back anymore," he cautioned.

Wee disclosed that following many complaints recently, he called the operator yesterday and insisted they erect signboards at every entry points and the signboards must state the fee structure, which is RM3 for less than four hours and RM5 for full day parking.

"I have just talked to the operator and he has promised to erect these signboards at every entry points by Tuesday."

Prior to charging RM5 per entry, the operator was charging RM6.36 per entry.

However, those who had parked for less than two hours could get back RM2 from the man manning the booth, but that is if they had managed to get him to scribble the time of entry when they first entered the carpark.

The extra 36 sen was claimed by the operator as 'sales tax'.

When DBKU intervened, the fee was reduced to RM5 and the sales tax was no longer included as the operator never applied for a permit to impose sales tax.

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<b>Sarawak</b> aims to be a major eco-tourism destination in region <b>...</b>

Posted: 19 Jan 2014 01:49 PM PST

KUCHING: Malaysia, especially Sarawak, will promote itself as a major eco-tourism destination in the region to tap the shifting global trend among tourists towards eco-tourism.

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, citing statistics from the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), said tourists were now flocking to places such as Central Africa, the Amazon in Central America, Kenya in Africa, and Southeast Asian countries.

"When there is a trend like that, Malaysia thinks we can play a role in attracting interests towards new products based on our bio-diversity," he said during a special interview session with journalists covering the 17th Meeting of Asean Tourism Ministers here yesterday.

The meeting was held in conjunction with the Asean Tourism Forum 2014 (ATF 2014), which is hosted by Malaysia, and is being held here.

Attending this eight-day international forum are leaders and delegates from Asean member countries and their dialogue partners, including those from East Asia.

Abang Johari enthused that this huge event would do the state very well in terms of wooing more foreign tourists to its shores.

He added that after developing its energy and industrial sectors, the next move for the state was to develop the services sector such as tourism, which required good infrastructure in order to attract more visitors.

The government, he said, would be "putting in a lot of money" in the 11th Malaysia Plan to boost its tourism industry, and it would work closely with the private sector to realise its goals.

Among others, Abang Johari said, the state had engaged experts from New Zealand to conduct a masterplan study on hinterland tourism with the aim of developing eco-friendly rural tourism infrastructure.

Hinterland tourism would also benefit homestay operators, he opined.

Another area in the state that is still under study is coastal tourism, and the main idea is to give tourists the option to fly and cruise at the same time.

To materialise this proposed project, the state government had earmarked the coast from Bako National Park all the way to Tanjung Datu to be developed for coastal tourism.

"We already have the Kota Kinabalu-Bandar Seri Begawan-Bintulu-Kota Kinabalu cruise. Now, we are going to work together with Singapore. Singapore has a terminal at Marina Bay, and from there they can have a cruise and can sail to areas in Borneo, including Sarawak."

Abang Johari said once the study on coastal tourism was completed in October this year, he would hold discussions with the federal government and private sector to implement the necessary infrastructure.

On foreign receipts from tourism, he said the state government was estimating about RM8 billion from the more than four million tourists targeted for this year.

"Once all the infrastructure is fully developed in five years time, Sarawak will become one of the most interesting destinations in the region, for it will offer tourism products based on nature, culture and adventure that are liked by the tourists."

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