Sabah's Potential High To Be Among World's Best Spa Services Providers

Sabah has the potential to be among the best spa services providers in the world, says Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

Comparing it with Bali, the world's leading spa provider, he said Sabah had an abundance of natural resources for the production of spa products as well as in the provision of spa treatment services.

"According to Tourism Malaysia's forecast, the spa industry can expect to generate as much as RM830 million by 2020.

"In view of this potential, the spa and wellness industry players must upgrade its standards and professionalism in all areas in order for the services to be on par with international standards," he told reporters after opening the Rafflesia Spa Essentials, a wholesale and retail outlet of spa products, here.

Masidi said due to increasing demand in spa services, spa outlets will soon be rated based on star ratings in order to give the industry credibility and confidence to potential customers.

However, he warned that the industry should not be interpreted as an activity for vice.

"Too often the word 'spa' has been misused for illegal activities. We hope the star rating would change people's perception so that the industry could be seen as a healthy activity in improving one's beauty and wellness," he said.

Meanwhile, Rafflesia Spa's Director Eddie Abdullah said the family-operated company expects to expand its operations to Sarawak and Brunei.

He also said setting up a training centre for spa and reflexology practioners was also in the company's future plans.

Source: Bernama 
Picture source : kepkas.sabah.gov.my

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2012 to mark protection of sharks in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: This year will mark the protection of sharks in Sabah even though the shark ban is not in place yet, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

“When the law is passed, we will then discuss with the restaurant owners about the grace period they need to clear their stocks,” he said.

“We need to do it now. We need to conserve the sharks for our next generation to enjoy. We cannot take all and leave nothing to our next generation in the name of profit. In the next decade, if we do not conserve the sharks now, there will be nothing left for the fishermen to catch and restaurant owners to serve. By then, it will be too late,” Masidi pointed out to the JCI Tanjung Aru.

JCI Tanjung Aru member Evonne Chong (immediate past president), organising chairman JCI member Aderick Chong and members met Masidi during a courtesy call recently.

Also present were the permanent secretary of Masidi’s ministry, Datuk Michael Emban, Datuk Irene Charuruks of Sabah Tourism Board and Sitti Damsal of Sri Pelancongan Sabah as well as Peter Dikili, Arthur Lee and Christopher who support the protection of sharks. JCI Tanjung Aru took this opportunity to thank Masidi for his determination and persistence in making the law to protect sharks happen in Sabah.

After initiating the ‘Say No To Shark Fins’ awareness programme in 2011, together with 54 chapters of JCI Malaysia and many conservation groups around the world, JCI Tanjung Aru strongly supports and commends the minister for his effort to see the ban through.

JCI Tanjung Aru briefed Masidi on the launch of 2012: Sabah Protects Sharks which will be held on May 6 in Suria Sabah. This event will mark that Sabah protects its sharks in 2012.

In conjunction with this event, there will be an ‘Imperial Gourmet Soup Challenge’, where the alternatives to shark fins soup will be judged and the most outstanding soup on that day will be recognised by the ministry.

Masidi and his ministry were also briefed on the Concert for the Sharks towards the end of 2012 to raise funds to enable efforts to reach out to schools throughout Malaysia, starting with Sabah, to educate the importance of shark conservation to the school children.

All contributions to this cause will only be used for the effort. It is a non-profitable event. Sponsors and advertisers are encouraged to step forward to contribute to this good cause. Contact JCI member Aderick Chong @ 0168306828

Both events are endorsed by the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Culture.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/04/12/2012-to-mark-protection-of-sharks-in-sabah/#ixzz1sMPtQAYT

Green Sabah says: Completely agreed with Datuk Masidi Manjun that we need to protect the Sharks for the future generation, hopefully the laws will be approved soon so that this will become a nationwide movement.

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Joint application of Danum, Maliau and Imbak for Heritage status

Kota Kinabalu: Preliminary work on nominating Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon as a World Heritage Site, has begun following a one-day workshop organized by the Sabah Foundation, here, Tuesday.

The workshop called Nomination Process of World Heritage Site is held to discuss the sites' strengths and identify it in accordance to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Outstanding Universal Values criterion.

According to a member of the nomination draft working group under the Steering Committee, Dr Waidi Sinun, the workshop resolution could influence the IUCN dossier draft, which is part of the first step in the World Heritage Site nomination processes.

"The Committee is in the midst of preparing the criteria to be included in the dossier and we are working on the details.

"So we are at the dossier nomination drafting stages, the working group has prepared a paper on the criteria so we need to discuss it today and for us to adopt it and submit it to the government," he said.

Sinun said the 133,000 ha sites would be nominated in a single heritage site which will be called DaMaI, an abbreviation of Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and the Imbak Canyon.

He said, however the DaMai is only an unofficial name tentatively agreed to by the Government after the committee had submitted about six names.

Currently the Nomination Draft Group members are Dr Fatah Amir, Dr Jamili Nais (Chairman), Dr John Tay, Dr Rahimatshah Amat, Dr Robert Ong including Sinun.

The group is also aided by Dr Kanehiro Kitayama from University of Kyoto and Dr Glen Reynolds from the Royal Society of Danum and consultant Dr Agnes Agama.

Although the workshop's resolution is not part of the formal IUCN nomination process, it is still vital since it gathers the thoughts of many individuals representing the public's interest.

There are about seven stages under the IUCN World Heritage nomination process and the State Government has already appointed a Steering Committee, solely to work on the matter.

The Steering Committee, chaired by the State Secretary, formed a Technical Committee, which consists of the Nomination Draft working group given the task to draft the nomination dossier.

The Technical Committee meanwhile is chaired by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment's Permanent Secretary while the nomination draft group consists of experts from Sabah Foundation, Sabah Parks and relevant parties, who are working on a pro-bono basis in the committee.

According to Sainun, the nomination draft group was tasked with drafting the dossier, which would lead to other subsequent steps laid out earlier in a presentation by a representative from the Department of National Heritage, Mohd. Shahrin Abdullah.

According to Shahrin the process would take at least two years.

The workshop was attended by some 60 officials from Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Sabah Parks, Sabah Foundation, Pacos Trust, WWF and others.

GreenSabah says:I do hope that Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon will be successfully nominated as World Heritage Site, the Sabah government and environmental bodies have made efforts to conserve our nature especially these 3 areas.

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Littering still a major problem in Sabah: Masidi

Sandakan: The environment must be the first priority when it comes to utilisation of natural resources.

"We in Sabah must play a crucial role to ensure that our activities especially the utilisation of natural resources such as forest activities, opening of land for agriculture activities, mining of minerals and others are done without degrading the environment and the natural resources," said Tourism, Culture and Enviroment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun.

Pointing out that this was the State's bit towards addressing climate change, he said it was imperative to strike a balance between development and environmental protection through the application of sound environmental management principles such as the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment System.

"The other increasingly important tool in environmental management is environmental education," he said, when launching the 2nd Malaysian Environmental Education Conference at the Rainforest Discovery Centre here, Monday.

He said environmental education should be enhanced further and effectively implemented at all levels of society, its implementation to be tailor-made to specific target groups.

Apart from being blessed with an abundance of natural resources, Masidi said Sabah was also fortunate to have a policy on environmental education that was initiated under the Bornean Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conservation Programme (BBEC), which was approved by the State Cabinet in 2009.

He added the policy was targeted to instill environmental stewardship and sustainable lifestyle among the people in Sabah.

"Another milestone in the progress of environmental education in Sabah is the establishment of the Sabah Environmental Education Network (Seen) in March 2005," he said, adding Seen consists of 34 organisational members with the aim to enhance environmental education, communication and awareness efforts in Sabah through networking, cooperation and coordination.

Towards this end, he said environmental education's biggest challenge was changing people's attitude and perception.

"For example, littering is still one of the biggest environmental problems in Sabah and Malaysia in general," Masidi said, lamenting that many still left it to the authorities to address this matter.

"It is very sad that there are still people who are indifferent about cleanliness and are not willing to change their negative habits," he said, adding the government through its agencies and departments has organised various efforts to increase awareness.

Read more on: http://www.borneocolours.com/thebuzz/48-news/2614-littering-still-a-major-problem-in-sabah-masidi

Green Sabah says: Environmental education is very important. It is disheartening when people have the awareness on the importance of protecting our environment and natural resources, but lack of effort to apply it in their daily life. Same goes with littering problem. We must change such attitude and be more responsible towards our environment.

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