KK & Sabah News-Flash

Sabah Security Forces Prepares for Expected Tourist Arrivals

The security forces were told to be ready for the expected tourist arrivals in Sabah in the coming weeks.  The maritime enforcement agency is specially given this directive because according to Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Min, the state government does not want negative incidents involving foreign visitors, referring to the January 28 catamaran tragedy where 22 out of the 31 passengers and crew members survived.

Pang also said that they are expecting mostly Chinese tourists this week since China’s Golden Week, a seven-day holiday there, started last October 1.  Chinese tourists have been to the state in increasing numbers during the past few years which is the result of good diplomatic ties between the two countries and two-way collaboration of their respective tour agencies.

Chinese tourists usually prefer to go to the islands and near the mountains.  On this, Pang reminded the tour operators to follow the regulations, especially on safety, so that tourists will have a smooth and safe trip.

Asked whether the state will follow Singapore’s pamphlet for Chinese tourists on the do’s and don’ts while in their country, Pang replied that there is no need for the pamphlets in Sabah since the Chinese consulate is educating their tourists on how to behave while in other countries.

Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia to Continue Mapping Malacca and Singapore Straits

Efforts to map the Straits of Malacca and Singapore will continue after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia in Kota Kinabalu during the 10^th Cooperation Forum on Monday, to improve the safety in one of the busiest waterways in the world.

The MOU covers the second phase of a joint hydrographic survey that will cover the remaining areas of the Traffic Separation Scheme and will include those that are shallower than 30m.  This phase is a continuation of the first phase launched in 2015.  Data from this survey will then be used for the production of up-to-date, large-scale nautical charts and for research purposes.

Protect Reputation by Following Corruption Free Pledge

Organizations are encouraged to stick to their pledge to be free from corruption so that their reputation will not be tainted.  According to Sabah state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Director Datuk Sazali Salbi, organizations who took the pledge and commit wrongdoings will suffer the consequences and their reputations damaged.  This is because the public will be monitoring those organizations even more closely because of recent incidents of graft and corruption like the one involving four policemen in Lahad Datu a week after the police force took their pledge.

Sazali added that the organizations should take the pledge to heart and not just show off during the signing ceremony.  Personal integrity of the employees is also an important aspect in maintaining corruption free organizations.  As a result, the public will benefit from the best services provided to them.

MACC has only 160 staff in the state and Sazali is calling on the public for their assistance in dealing with corruption and power abuse incidents.

Sazali was at the Tun Ahmad Raffae auditorium during the pledge ceremony of Yayasan Sabah, led by its director Datuk Sapari Ahman.  Yayasan Sabah is a state-owned organization and is the 57^th organization in the state that took the pledge.