Sabah worth it to visit: Chinese Mayor

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is worth visiting even if only for a day, according to Xing Pei Bin, Vice Mayor of Weifang, in Shangtung province.

Xing led a six-member agriculture delegation to Sabah Sunday and Monday for an unofficial post-conference visit after attending a major Asean Agriculture Trade and Expo in Kuala Lumpur last week.

"Because I had only one day here, I cannot claim I know Sabah very well but I leave with two deep impressions," Xing told Daily Express.

"One, Sabah is worth seeing because it teems with biodiversity, nature, tranquility, vast expanse of scenic beauty and green country. Secondly those agricultural people I met are seriously looking at ways and means to improve the quality of their products," he said.

"What impressed me most are some enterprising efforts on developing the best organic farming methods," said Xing who visited Nabalu, Kinabalu Park, Kundasang, Ranau, with Henry Chok, a member of the Executive Committee of the Environmental Action Committee, organic farmer Low Siew Wah.

At Sabah Tea, the group was hosted to lunch by Executive Director Goh Mung Chwee who later led a tour of the factory and organic tea plots tucked inside the rainforest. "Health awareness is rising throughout the world," Xing said. "For this reason, we foresee a rising demand for organic food in the world market." He said this was why China planned to promote and support organic farming particularly in Shantung province "because we are known as the bread basket of China."

Xing's group included Fan Xi Zhi, Director of Weifang Municipal Agricuture Bureau, Wang Zenghu, Vice President of Weifang People's Friendship Association with Foreign Countries, Ms Li Shu fan, Vice Director of Financial Bureau, Chen Jin Lian, assistant research officer and interpretor, Miss Gao Xinhui.

Linus Suen, Chief Engineer during the first expansion project of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport under Usno, was instrumental in persuading Xing to visit Sabah.

Suen, who got to know Chok who was then a shipping officer with Harrisons & Crosfield, said he never forgot Sabah.

An additional member of the group was Eva Wong, President of California based Pegasus Financial Inc, USA, who said Sabah has fantastic nature resources at the base to build a thriving tourism industry.

"Preserve your goodness because it costs less to preserve. But if you lose it, you lose it forever," she said. Sabah needs just to package its natural marvels a little bit more, Eva said.

"I agree with Xing on the tranquility and beauty about Sabah," said Eva.

Source: Daily Express