KK & Sabah News-Flash

Signature Food Fest Slated This October With More Participants

The Signature Food Fest is on its fourth year and it will feature more participants in the food and beverage (F&B) sectors.  This year, the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu and Gradis Hotel will be joining.  According to Alfred Allen, Signature Food Fest organizer, they are very happy that for the first time since the festival started, two well-known hotels are joining.

In the whole month of October, signature dishes of each participant will be showcased at their respective establishments.  Dishes are chicken and lamb meals, seafoods, desserts and pasta.  For patrons who order the signature dish, they have a chance to win prizes by attaching their receipt to a voting form.

A three-day opening event will be held at the Suria Sabah Shopping Mall on September 29 to October 1 wherein the 12 participants will offer special packages and the public treated to free samples.

Eight awards will be given, including Outstanding Chef and Facebook’s Most Popular.  Winners will be announced on October 31 at the Grandis Hotel.

Airbnb Operations Likely in Residential Areas

The Kota Kinabalu City Hall is in the process of the legalization of Airbnb operations in residential areas.  Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai denies that Airbnb is already operating in Kota Kinabalu because current operations are not according to the by-laws of the land.  They are presently reviewing the guidelines and laws in order for Airbnb to operate in any residential area.  He also hinted that formulation of legal provisions, if needed, usually takes time.

One of the concerns on the Airbnb operations is the intentional damage done by guests within the property area.  According to the mayor, this matter should be between the owner of the residential unit and the guests.  Government intervention is limited in these cases because the local authority also respects the privacy of owners of units, shops property.

The mayor was at the signing ceremony of the Rakan Bandaraya memorandum of understanding between DBKK and Cosmopoint Monday.

Athlete with Cerebral Palsy Believes in Self

In the recent 9^th Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, 16-year old Eddy Bernard won two gold medals in the 100m and long jump competitions at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.  Hailing from the interior district of Telupid, Eddy has cerebral palsy but this did not prevent him from doing his best in his inaugural outing at the Games.  Undergoing intensive training for three months prior to the Games, Eddy persevered with the thought that he can do it.

Eddy was one of the 28 para athletes from Sabah who were welcomed by government official, friends and family upon their arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport last Sunday.  Among them was State Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.

Tan Hwa Koon, president of the Sabah Sports and Recreation for the Disabled Club and who was with the athletes at Kuala Lumpur, said that the performance of the athletes surpassed his expectations.  They only expected seven medals but got eight.  He added that the focus and dedication of the athletes were all contributory to their success.