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Stop viewing <b>Sabah</b> as fixed deposit – UPKO – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b> Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

Stop viewing <b>Sabah</b> as fixed deposit – UPKO – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b>

Posted: 21 Feb 2014 09:33 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The present government should stop viewing Sabah as its fixed deposit and take it for granted, said UPKO secretary general, Datuk Donald Mojuntin to press members yesterday.

"The government seems to think that we are its fixed deposit but they have to realise that even banks can be robbed," he stressed.

"Of course, BN (Barisan Nasional) won Sabah but overall, we have lost many seats as well. We need to study why we lost the seats at constituencies where the majority of the voters were the Kadazandusun, Murut and Chinese," he urged.

He added that the present government needed to work harder, particularly at the grassroots.

On the intention of the Kadazan Dusun Murut Malaysia Association's intention to become a political party, Donald merely said the matter should be left to the people.

"It is up to them to decide who they want to trust."

He also said it was the association's right if it decides to register as a political party.

"It is their right. If they have a good objective and proper constitution, it is up to them.

"Furthermore, Malaysia is a democratic country and anyone can form a party," he said.

He added that he didn't know whether the association had already registered to become a political party.

At the same time, Donald also commented on the Monash University Malaysia academician Professor James Chin's claim that a slight majority of East Malaysians wanted to cede from the country.

"There are pros and cons to the issue, but in my personal opinion, if we were to cede (from the country) who is going to support us in terms of security? How will we restructure our finances to run our country?

"Furthermore, it isn't known how many actually wanted to cede from the country.

"Malaysia is a stable country. Of course we are facing challenges economically but politically, it is still a stable country… if we pull out from the country it may create more strive than benefits," he said.

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GOF to form East Brigade battalion in <b>Sabah</b>, Sarawak – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 08:52 AM PST

IPOH: The General Operations Force (GOF) will form a GOF East Brigade battalion in Sabah, and in Samalaju, Sarawak following approval from the government, said Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Seri Salleh Mat Rasid.

He said the proposal was in line with plans to extend the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESScom) to Sarawak to beef up the nation's security against foreign threats.

"The Royal Malaysian Police and the GOF were ready to face intruders into the country," he told reporters after closing the Basic Course of the GOF Series 1/2013 here yesterday.

On the syllabus and training provided in the GOF basic course, Salleh said they would be improved, in line with the scope and duties of maintaining public order, while providing support to the relevant bodies and agencies in specific operations.

He also called on the younger generation who loved challenges to undergo GOF training which would give them general training in defending the country.

At the ceremony, Inspector Mohamad Puat Shafie, who is stationed at the GOF Fifth Battalion in Simpang Renggam, Johor was selected best overall trainee in the Officer Category.

Corporal Ahmad Fithi Abu Bakar won in the Rank and File Category.

A total of 290 trainees comprising officers and rank-and-file personnel who underwent training, beginning Nov 25, completed the course.

The course included 13 training modules which were conducted in Ulu Kinta here and the Tupah Outdoor Training Camp in Bedong, Kedah. — Bernama

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Briton returns to <b>Sabah</b> to honour late father - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 02:32 PM PST

by Amy Ddangin. Posted on February 19, 2014, Wednesday

KOTA KINABALU: Christopher Knowles was only a child when his father, Robert Knowles (O.B.E.), moved their family of four to North Borneo – now Sabah – to assume the position of Assistant Commissioner of Trade and Customs in 1947.

Although the Knowles family left for Singapore en route to the United Kingdom months later, Robert returned to North Borneo alone the year after to resume his position in Kota Kinabalu, known then as Jesselton.

Forty seven years later, Knowles Jr made a visit to Sabah, this time together with his wife, Angela Knowles, to join Sabahans in honouring his late father, through the 'North Borneo Sacred Legacy Photographic Exhibition VI: Robert Knowles Collection, at the Sabah Museum, here yesterday.

The exhibition was launched yesterday by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun and will be held from February 18 to May 18.

Robert Knowles (O.B.E.) worked for the Customs in North Borneo from 1947 until he retired as the Regional Controller of Trade and Customs in 1963. His work had brought him to many parts of Sabah, during which he put his love for photography to good use.

His hobby in photography had enabled North Borneo's post-war recovery, rehabilitation and growth along with its diverse culture and beauty of nature to be captured and preserved in a photographic documentation that is integral to Sabah's cultural and heritage preservation.

In his launching speech yesterday, Masidi pointed out how the state's diverse culture and beauty of nature had even then inspired Knowles to capture and document these assets, despite the post-war condition of the state back then. These assets, he said, continue to make Sabah a unique destination and attract tourists from everywhere.

He urged the museum fraternity as well as others to utilise their photography skills to immortalise the state's legacy which will benefit the future generation.

Sabah Museum Department director Joanna Kitingan disclosed that Robert Knowles had contributed a total of 2,200 film negatives containing diverse images of North Borneo from 1947 to 1965, taken by Knowles through his lens, which he developed and printed himself at his home.

Due to space constraints, only 120 odd photographs covering people, events, places, buildings, boats, locomotives, and various economic activities have been selected for the exhibition at the Sabah Museum.

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<b>Sabah</b> can be &#39;Dubai&#39;in BIMP-EAGA – Fernandes – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:37 AM PST

by Sandra Sokial. Posted on February 20, 2014, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah can be the "Dubai" of the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines – East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), if Tan Sri Tony Fernandes gets to fulfill his plans.

With a plan to expand the low cost carrier AirAsia operations, and bringing in AirAsia X, and adding more aircraft here, the budget airline's chief executive officer (CEO) hopes to develop the Terminal Two Airport, which he believes will also boost the tourism sector in the state.

"When we first started, we brought some 20,000 passengers to Sabah. That was 12 years ago. Today, we are thinking of bringing in 13 million passengers in the next five years, so we need to find a solution to the terminal issue. There are two options – one we develop Terminal Two (which currently operates as the low cost carrier terminal) or build a new terminal. We do not want to go to the Kota Kinabalu Inyernational Airport Terminal One because it will be overcrowded and passengers have to pay RM65 for the airport tax.

"Why do Sabahans or tourists need to pay more when our main objective is to offer them cheap fares so travelling is affordable. To me, personnaly, just because it (Terminal Two) is an old building, why tear it down when you can do renovation … so my preferences would be the Terminal Two," he said.

Fernandes, who is on a day's working visit to Sabah, said that he had met up with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, and the state's premier leader seemed "positive" on the matter.

"He (Musa) has been very supportive of our operations in Sabah, right from the very beginning, and we are forever grateful with the

RM1 million loan he offered us to start off the business. Today, we believe he had played a great role throughout AirAsia's operations in Sabah.

"However, we can only make plans but it is up to the authorities here to decide, and we hope to hear from them soon," he said, adding that the north wing side of the airport would be a suitable location for the Terminal Two expansion project.

Touching on AirAsia X, Fernandes said it would be the final piece of Sabah's adventure, with the hope to make the state capital as the centre between North Asia and Australia, a hub for most locations in Indonesia, and flying to other parts of the world such as Melbourne, Tokyo or Shanghai and Beijing.

"This will turn Kota Kinabalu the Dubai for BIMP-EAGA, where everyone can fly to any part of the BIMP-EAGA area with AirAsia or AirAsia X.

"We want to make Sabah stand out and we want to make it finacially attractive. I came across a couple from China at the hotel lift. When I asked them why they came to Sabah, they told me because it was cheap.When they go back, they will tell their friends and come back here. This is what we want to offer potential tourists, and make Sabah as the best destination," he said.

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