Visit Tambunan Year drew 66,000 visitors

TAMBUNAN: About 66,000 people have visited this district in between January-September this year in conjunction with Visit Tambunan Year.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said of the total 66,073, 58,050 were local tourists with the rest comprising Malaysians from other states and foreign nationals.

He said the number was compiled from records taken at tourist attractions where visitors were required to register such as the Sabah Parks, Gunung Trusmadi and a few other places in Tambunan.

“This total does not include visitors to open places such as the tamu or those visiting celebratory events organised in the Tambunan District.”

Pairin was speaking at the opening of the Music Festival and Ecotourism Tambunan 2017 at the Pisompuruan Square here, on Saturday.

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Viewing tower opens for Visit Tambunan Year 2017

TAMBUNAN: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan yesterday opened the Tambunan Viewing Tower (or Pogimpaan Nuluhon Dandab costing RM500,000 in conjunction with the Visit Tambunan Year 2017.

The phase one and two of the tower were completed in December last year which enables the public especially tourists to see the beauty of Tambunan which is also known as ‘Switzerland of the east’.

The tower, designed in 2015, is the brainchild of Pairin who is also Infrastructure Development Minister, said Tambunan District Officer Thomas Logijin in an interview with the Borneo Post here yesterday.

He said the main objective of building the tower was to erect a landmark to promote Tambunan district as a tourist attraction in line with the Visit Tambunan Year 2017 (VTBN2017).

“It also aims to ensure that visitors could view 80 per cent of Tambunan Valley apart from enjoying the beauty of rice fields in this district.

“In addition to the comfort of clean and fresh air breeze from the Crocker Range and Mount Trus Madi we also see clearly the majestic Mount Kinabalu,” he said.

“The tower is also a leisurely recreation centre to visitors coming to this area.”

It took four months – August to December last year – to put up the tower which is sited on Trig hill at Kampung Dalungan here under the full supervision of the Tambunan District Office, he said

“The architect’s Impression Plan was originally issued by the Public Works Department in Kota Kinabalu but was redesigned by the Engineering Unit of Tambunan District Office.

“The architectural concept of the tower is based on the ‘Wakid’ and ‘Sigar’ as the roof of the tower (phase two). Materials used are iron and aluminum paint with golden colors such as green, yellow, gold and brown which reflects the bamboo color that Tambunan is famous for,” he said.

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Visit Tambunan Year 2017: Amazing experience -The Switzerland of the East

TAMBUNAN: It is an amazing experience when visiting Tambunan, the Switzerland of the East, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman.

He said a visit to this area would be interesting because the area is also rich in the various customs and culture of the Dusun community who live in harmony with people of various ethnic groups, religions and cultures.

“All this in itself has explained the theme of Visit Tambunan Year 2017 (VTBN2017),” he said in his speech when launching VTBN2017 at Pisompuruan Square here on Wednesday night.

He said the launch of VTBN2017 was timely as this area was not only progressing rapidly but also very famous for its beauty and its own uniqueness.

According to Musa, this district, located in the interior, has priceless natural treasures such as the tropical rainforests and its many attractions such as Mount Trus Madi, Mahua Waterfall as well as a variety of flora and fauna.

He said tourism and culture continued to grow rapidly in this state and it included health, education tourism and so on.

However, the major tourist attractions are the charming and historic destinations as well as the customs and culture of the people, he said.

“Because of that the state government remains committed to intensify and promote the tourism sector as a catalyst for the state’s economy.

“Through the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), for example, we have been focusing on key sectors, including the tourism sector to achieve economic growth that is strong and sustainable,” he said.

For that, he said it was important that all parties continued the efforts and energy to drive and promote the Sabah tourism sector at regional and international levels.

“In addition to the duties and responsibilities of government departments and agencies related to regulating tourist places, we are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and beauty of tourist attractions to maintain the good image of the our state and country that is known as a ‘tourism paradise’.

“I would also like to emphasize, in particular the industry players, to adopt a balanced development on tourism. Do not only be concerned with tourism business activities and profits without taking into consideration the balance between tourism development and environmental quality,” he said.

More than 5,000 people including Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Mohd Noor, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Minister of Rural Development Datuk Seri Panglima Radin Malleh, Minister of Community Services and Consumer Affairs Datuk Hajah Jainab Ahmad Ayid, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan, Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology Datuk Siringan Gubat, State Secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman and District Officer Thomas Logijin attended the event.

A total of 15 tourism products were introduced in conjunction with the launch of Visit Tambunan 2017, among which were the Rafflesia Park, the Mahua Waterfall, Mount Wakid, Mount Trus Madi, the Tambunan Golf Club, the ginger plants and the manufacture of bamboo musical instruments at Kampung Tikolod, the Batu Gong, the traditional food and several other historic places here.

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Three mountains in Sabah that give you absolute thrills

If your idea of paradise is scaling the great heights of grand mountains, then Sabah is the place to be. We list down three amazing mountains for those seeking a holiday that sets your adrenaline flowing and your eyes enraptured.

Mount Kinabalu

This majestic icon does not need much introduction. Many have visited Mount Kinabalu to conquer its summit. But there’s so much to do here, than just mountain climbing.

For extreme sports enthusiasts, try out Via Ferrata, Alpine rock climbing and paragliding is the aim here. Of course, scaling those great heights should still top your itinerary. Sabah Parks has developed two new summit trails.

The current trail to the summit is Ranau Trail, which will take climbers on an easterly route. The new Kota Belud trail brings climbers from Panalaban (previously known as Laban Rata) at 3,272m to Sayat Sayat (3,668m) then continues on to the summit trail to Low’s Peak at 4,095.2m.

If you’re debating on the more scenic route, fret not. Both trails offer spectacular views of the district of Ranau; Kundasang; and even the coastal line of Kota Kinabalu’s west coast.

While special skills aren’t needed to climb, you must at least have the basic fitness level. Advance booking is recommended, as there is a limit to the number of climbers each day (135). There is a long queue as demand is high.

Once you’re at the summit, post a postcard from the country’s highest post box! Yes a post box – we kid you not!

Mount Trus Madi

Love the high terrains and have a thirst for adventure? If you’re looking for a challenge, look no further than Mount Trusmadi.

Located about 70km southeast of Kota Kinabalu within the district of Tambunan, the second highest peak in the country stands at 2,642m tall and offers a thrilling climbing experience.

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What will climate change mean for Borneo’s carnivorous pitcher-plants?

• Pitcher-plants of the genus Nepenthes are tropical carnivorous plants that trap and digest insects.
• Some of Borneo's pitcher plants inhabit a broad altitudinal range in its mountainous forests, while others are limited to a narrow band.
• Models indicate that one of these narrow-band species will go extinct by 2050 if current warming trends continue.

Nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants, are a genus of carnivorous plants well known for their intricate and beautiful pitcher-shaped leaves that trap and digest insects. The genus is comprised of approximately 150 species, most of which are endemic to the Old World Tropics.

The greatest diversity of Nepenthes are found in Borneo, Sumatra and the Philippines. Plants within the Nepenthes genus grow within a broad altitude range from sea level to 3,400 meters (11,100 feet). But some species are restricted to narrower ranges, and may face extinction in a warming world.

At 140 million years old, the Borneo rainforest is one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Approximately 15,000 species of flowering plants and 3,000 tree species comingle and compete for space in this dense plant community.

The Borneo rainforest is also home to various indigenous peoples, a treasure trove of medicinal plants, and a rich collection of carnivorous plants. Carnivorous plants can be found throughout Borneo but one especially accessible area to visit tropical pitcher plants is in Bako National Park.

Bako National Park is the oldest National Park in the Sarawak region of Malaysian Borneo. The park is close enough to the city of Sarawak to visit in one day. Once in the park, hikers can explore the intertidal zone of the South China Sea and trek into steep regions of montane forest in the same day. Wildlife is abundant.

One particular trail, the Lintang Trail, leads hikers along mangrove boardwalks near the Park headquarters and up a steep sandstone escarpment. Hikers eventually reach a plateau area that is part keranga, or dry heath forest, and part bare sandstone rock. It doesn’t take a well-trained botanist to spot abundant tropical pitcher plants while hiking around the Lintang trail. 

Nepenthes are everywhere along the trail and appear quite healthy. Multiple Nepenthes species thrive in Bako National Park, but one species, Raffles’ pitcher-plant (N. rafflesiana), is particularly well represented along this trail.

Raffles’ pitcher-plants grow happily in various microenvironments: peat swamp forests, heath forests, cliffsides and keranga forest. Furthermore, this species lives within a broad altitude range, and is found at sea level all the way up to 1,500 meters (5,000 feet).

Thanks in part to its flexible altitude range, this Nepenthes species enjoys healthy population numbers and is currently listed as a Least Concern species on the IUCN list of endangered species.

Now, let’s compare this scenario with another tropical pitcher plant living in Borneo, the large-leaved pitcher-plant, (Nepenthes macrophylla). Unlike Raffle’s pitcher plant, this species can tolerate only a narrow range in altitude, growing exclusively on mossy ridges along Mount Trusmadi between 2,000 and 2,600 meters (6,500 and 8,200 feet) (Clarke, 1997.) Mount Trusmadi is located in Sabah, the eastern region of Borneo.

The peak of Mount Trusmadi sits at 2642 meters (8667 feet), so the narrow altitude range of the large-leaved pitcher-plant extends almost up to the summit. Due in part to this restrictive geographic range, the population of this Nepenthes species is in a precarious situation, and is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN list.

Okay, so what are the most probable fates of these two different Nepenthes species in the next 100 years as the world warms? Would populations of large-leaved and Raffles’ pitcher-plants be impacted by the predicted rise in global temperatures?

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Sabah home to world's tiniest snail

The world's record for the smallest land snail is broken once again.

The minute shell with an average diameter of 0.7 mm was found in Sabah along with another 47 new species of greatly varying sizes, by a team of Dutch and Malaysian biologists.

The new tiny snails has been named Acmella nana (nanur is "dwarf" in Latin).

The previous title holder, the Chinese Angustopila dominikae which measured just 0.8mm, was just announced a month ago.

Publishing their finds in the journal ZooKeys, the team of snail researchers write that some of the 48 newly described species are widespread in Borneo and have been familiar to them for decades but were only described recently.

Some of the snails eke out a hidden existence on mountain tops or in rare vegetation types and so, were only recently discovered by the authors.

For instance, there are seven new species that can only be found on the 4,095-metre-high Mount Kinabalu.

Another example, Diplommatina tylocheilos, only lives at the entrance of the accessible Loloposon Cave in Mount Trusmadi.

The new information tells us more about isolated, or endemic snails.

Being slowly movers, snails are often confined to small patches of a habitat, where they evolve and adapt to the specific site.

Their restricted distribution makes them key targets for biodiversity conservation.

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Sabah looks to KL to boost tourism accessibility

KOTA KINABALU: While Sabah may not be short of tourism products, accessibility to these areas seem to be the biggest challenge for the state.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun hoped for more allocation to improve infrastructure in Sabah in the coming national budget, which is expected to be tabled end of this month.

“The issue in Sabah is not because we do not have products, we have many tourism products. But it is about accessibility to these products.

“For instance Mount Trusmadi, which is the second highest mountain in Malaysia, has its own specialised beauties and slightly different from Mount Kinabalu. We should not neglect this fact.

“And I am sure there are a lot people who want to go there but the road condition needs to be improved. Let’s not forget that the top three mountains (in Malaysia) are in Sabah,” he told reporters when met at the Petronas Raya open house here yesterday.

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68 students scaled Gunung Trus Madi in record time

KENINGAU: Climbing to the summit of Gunung Trus Madi by 68 students of SMK Keningau Bingkor earlier this week, will almost certainly be recorded in the Malaysian Book of Records as the quickest climb made in less than 24 hours besides the attainment of having the largest number of climbers at one time. The inspiration for this achievement is a tribute to a long serving and dedicated principal.

“This success is for our principal, Tuan Hj. Sahumin Hj. Mohd Daud who will be going on compulsory retirement, said program coordinator, Saidil Mazlan Abdul Razak.

Sahumin will be going on compulsory retirement in 2011 after years of selfless dedicated service to the nation.

“We created this challenging situation as an expression of our commitment to pay tribute to a caring and dedicated person,” said Saidil.

Gunung Trus Madi, the second highest mountain in Malaysia, is 2,642 meters or 8,668 feet above sea level – the group of students of SMK Keningau Bingkor became the first in the country to reach the peak en masse and in less than 24 hours. The Management of Sabah Forestry Department has confirmed that it is the first climb of its kind in Malaysia.

“The climb by the group of students are very significant enough to be recorded in The Malaysian Book of Records,” said Saidil.

Saidil said, 7 buses and 4 four-wheel drive vehicles were used to transport the students, starting from SMK Bingkor to Kg. Kaingaran, Tambunan. The students were then divided into 16 groups and taken by four-wheel drive vehicles from Kg. Kaingaran to the Base Camp.

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Sabah eyes RM4.7 billion in tourism receipts this year

KOTA KINABALU: Tourist arrivals to Sabah are expected to increase to 2.6 million with receipts of RM4.7 billion this year from 2.5 million and RM4.4 billion, respectively last year, said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Majun.

“We will not be attracting more numbers, but rather focusing on quality, high yield and long staying visitors,” he said at the opening of a forum themed ‘From Philanthropy to Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)’ at a leading hotel here yesterday.

It was organised by Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

Compared with the national tourist arrivals for 2010 which recorded 26.4 million visitors and generating RM56.5 billion in receipts (estimated at RM1 billion a week), Masidi said Sabah only had a ten per cent share of arrivals and 13 per cent in receipts.

He added that the state needed to develop high quality physical infrastructure, as well as maintaining high standards and services of existing facilities.

“Tourism development in Sabah in the past was guided by the 1st Sabah Tourism Masterplan (STMP) 1996-2010,” he said, adding that the 2nd STMP (2011-2025) has identified many challenges which the state has to overcome to bring the tourism industry to the next level.

“The most challenging is improving infrastructure for accessibility (to interesting spots in the interior).” Citing Gunung Trusmadi, Malaysia’s second highest peak after Mount Kinabalu, he said there was no proper road leading to the foothill.

Masidi said accessibility is a problem in Sabah. Most of the tourist arrivals are by air, whereas in the Peninsula there are good road linkages. He lamented that federal funding was either not enough or came too late for infrastructure development, resulting in insufficient time to implement.

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Time to climb Sabah's Trusmadi

Ever heard of Trusmadi? No? Figures. All everyone knows is Mt Kinabalu. Nobody remembers No 2.

Maybe it’s true what they say about being Number Two — nobody knows, let alone remembers you.

Everyone and his brother know Gunung Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia, and many, many people have climbed it. That’s how it is when you are Numero Uno. What about the second highest mountain in Malaysia?

What is the second highest mountain in Malaysia?

Most of the time, there’s a deafening silence because so few people have ever heard of Gunung Trusmadi in Sabah, which, at 2,642m above sea level, is a relative dwarf compared to Kinabalu.

But that’s no reason not to climb it, which was why five companions and I found ourselves in a speeding minivan on a scenic drive across the Crocker Range. This rugged range of mountains is virtually in the backyard of Kota Kinabalu, yet little visited by tourists.

To one side of the road, down a deep ravine, was a rushing river, while a slab of verdant rainforest rose vertically on the other side. Clouds of mist rose, wraith-like, from damp valleys far below to obscure the road.

From the heights of the Crocker Range, some 80km later, we descended into the flat, sunlit valley of Tambunan. There were golden fields of padi in the late afternoon light, a clear blue sky and lush surrounding hills. The air was sweet.

Tambunan could have qualified as the most idyllic postcard-village in the state. The roads were straight and well-paved, the buildings in good repair and the town itself looked scrubbed and prosperous.

We put up at a little resort a short distance from town. Our hut, basic but adequate, looked out to a disused football field beyond which was a shallow, rippling river crossed by a wire suspension bridge. The small riverside restaurant served surprisingly good food to the few customers it had. Hot food, good companions, a murmuring river nearby, peace and quiet in a remote corner of the country — what more could one ask for?

The next morning, our two 4WDs left the tarred road for an unpaved logging road a few kilometres from Tambunan town. The air was cool and fresh, with logged forest on either side of the road. At some point, the gradient became steep enough for our driver to lock the freewheels of the vehicle. Some distance later, we turned a corner and I gaped.

Up ahead was the largest butterfly I had ever seen in my life. It was a Rajah Brooke Birdwing, no less, with distinctive green triangles on black wings, but with a wingspan well over 3m wide.

For a fleeting moment, the thought of Nature striking back for all the indignities we heap upon the blemished land crossed my mind — the Attack of the Giant Butterflies. And that was before I noticed the giant Rafflesia and giant pitcher plant near the butterfly.

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Mount Trus Madi - New tourism spot for Sabah

TAMBUNAN: The Sabah government is drawing up strategies to develop and aggressively promote Mount Trus Madi, the second highest mountain in Malaysia after Mount Kinabalu, as a new tourist destination in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan said that Mount Trus Madi, at a height of 2,900m, had potential to lure tourists.

It is located in a remote district which not only has a cool climate but is also rich in biodiversity.

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