Kota Kinabalu A Port Of Call Of Star Cruises

By Jackson Sawatan

SINGAPORE (Bernama) -- Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, will be one of Star Cruises' new ports of call from the middle of this year.

Two of Star Cruises luxury ships, SuperStar Virgo and SuperStar Gemini, will call at Kota Kinabalu from May, Star Cruises General Manager Michael Goh said Friday.

"Both the ships have proven to be very popular with the Asian, Australasian and European markets," Goh said an exclusive presentation on "Sabah, the Land Below the Wind", here.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat, who is Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, launched the event on board SuperStar Virgo at the Harbour Front.

The 13-deck SuperStar Virgo of classical and Mediterranean design will embark on a special departure to Kota Kinabalu on June 4 with a five-night Redang-Kota Kinabalu cruise, while SuperStar Gemini -- the luxury 400-cabin cruiseliner -- will call there from May, offering seven-night and 21-night cruises through August.

Both ships carry more than 300,000 passengers a year comprising many inbound tourists to Singapore, taking a cruise from here to visit neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Thailand.

"Visitors to Sabah will now get to enjoy a totally new holiday experience as they can cruise in comfort and style to explore the many wonderful sights that Kota Kinabalu has to offer," said Goh.

Today's event also saw the signing of an agreement by four parties -- Sabah Tourism Board, Singapore's insurance co-operative NTUC Income, Star Cruises and Sabah-based tour agency Carlota's Borneo -- to promote Sabah as a tourist destination.

NTUC Income's chief executive officer Tan Kin Lian, said: "NTUC Income will work closely with our partners to draw up attractive travel packages for our policyholders and union members. NTUC Income offers more than insurance. We look for ways to offer special benefits to our members."

The insurance co-operative has 1.5 million policyholders and union members.

Present as the guest of honour at today's event was Singapore's Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Lim Boon Yang.

Source: BERNAMA

Retract travel advisory on Malaysia, Australia urged

By EDDIE CHUA

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia wants the Australian government to retract its travel advisory cautioning its citizens from visiting the country, particularly the east coast of Sabah, due to risk of a potential terrorist attack.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said there was no police intelligence of such a threat in Malaysia.

He disputed the alert issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade last Tuesday. The department had advised Australians not to travel to the east coast of Sabah, particularly dive resorts on its islands, “because of a high threat of kidnapping by terrorists.”

The department also advised Australians in Malaysia to be careful when visiting commercial and public areas frequented by foreigners such as hotels, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, marketplaces, places of worship, outdoor recreation events and tourist areas.

Najib assured tourists that Malaysia was a safe place and visitors should not be taken in by the advisory. The Government has deployed the army and police to watch over the east coast of Sabah and its islands.

“We don’t know why Australia put up the travel alert. If they have information on the threat, they should have shared it with us. As far as we are aware, there is no such danger,” he said.

If Australia could not substantiate their report, the travel advisory should be retracted, Najib told reporters after meeting an Umno Youth delegation at his office here yesterday.

Earlier, some 30 Umno Youth representatives – led by its chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin – met Najib for about an hour.

Hishammuddin said among the issues discussed was the increase in fuel prices.

He said Umno Youth would explain to the grassroots the Government's rationale for taking such a drastic step.

“We will go around to advise the people to be more prudent in their spending and ensure there is no waste following the increase,” he said.

Source: The Star

Sabah's Bajau water festival enters Malaysia tourism calendar

KUALA LUMPUR: This year’s Regatta Lepa in Sabah is expected to be a big hit among tourists as the event has been included in the annual tourism calendar.

It is the first time the traditional Bajau water festival, which has been held consecutively over the past 13 years, is listed as a tourist attraction.

The event is scheduled for April 14 to 16.

Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said the organiser was expecting a 30% increase in turnout

“The sea festival offers great potential for boosting tourism in the district.”

He said the Regatta would also help promote Semporna and Sipadan Island, which is nearby.

Shafie said the festival would indirectly pave the way for more economic activities among locals.

F&R Exhibition and Conference Sdn Bhd chairman, retired admiral Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdul Jamal, said this year's festival would be special.

“The event is to remember the Bajau for their skills in building colourful boats.”

The Lepa boat is made of red seraya wood. The tradition of making the boats was inherited by the Bajau who have been seafarers for generations.

Abu Bakar said that 30 boats from islands in the district would participate in the event.

“The festival promises great moments for everybody,” he said.

Source: The Star

The ‘Ambuyat' - Brunei's popular dish

Ambuyat, a traditional local dish produced from sago, remains popular with the Brunei people. But in spite of its popularity, not many people especially the youths know how ambulong or sago starch is produced, RTB reported last night.

Nowadays, the traditional way of processing sago starch is no longer used with the adoption of modern processing machinery.

An RTB crew recently went to Kuala Balai in the Belait District to have a closer look at how sago starch is produced using the old way.

Kuala Balai is one of the original areas where sago is produced. Histrorically, ambulong or sago was first produced during the early part of the Second World War in the 1940's when rice was hard to come by and people had to find an alternative staple food base. For Kuala Balai residents, they turned to the 'Rumbia' or sago palm, from which they extracted the starchy part as food.

Dayang Hjh Masnah binti Abdul Rahman explained how sago was processed the traditional way. She said the first step was to choose the right tree, the trunk of which should be at least 10 feet long, as the longer the tree the more sago starch it contains.

After the tree is cut down, the bark is removed and the remaining inner part is grated into a container, which is then mixed with water. The mixture is then trodden by feet and the liquid, which is squeezed out, is strained and collected onto a trough. This will harden to become the white starchy sago.

Apart from the Belait ethnic group, the Melanau and the Penan people of Sarawak are also well-known in the making of ambulong or sago.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

ED NOTE: Ambuyat is also a popular dish in Sabah especially in the Sipitang and Beaufort districts.

Brunei River Cruise to boost tourism

By Huraizah Ahmad

Tourists can now experience the 'Brunei River Cruise', the latest tourism product in the market to provide a wholesome experience of the water village scenery.

The tour product was launched by chairman of the Brunei Tourism Board, Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah bin Hj Abd Wahab at the RMS Portview Seafood Restaurant yesterday.

The launching event was attended by representatives from foreign embassies in Brunei Darussalam, members of Brunei Tourism Board as well as government officials and stakeholders of the tourism industry.

The cruise offers four different tour packages including Water Village Tour, Proboscis Monkey Tour, Night Cruise Tour and Firefly Sighting and Seafood Dinner.

With the launch, three new models of a 25 feet pontoon boat running on 100 hp engines were unveiled and put into use. They can accommodate 14 passengers.

The Brunei River Cruise is designed and run by AAA Dolphin Dive and Trading, a local tour operator specialising in river and marine activities. The cruise is expected to complement the existing tourism products and enhance the tourism market in the country.

AAA Dolphin Dive and Trading will also contribute US$1 for the preservation of the Brunei river's environment and wildlife awareness programmes for every tourist or passenger on board the Brunei River Cruise.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin