RM300,000 for Promotion of the Sabah Agriculture Park at Lagud Sebrang

Tenom: The Federal Tourism Ministry has approved a total RM300,000 for the promotion of the Sabah Agriculture Park at Lagud Sebrang here.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen approved RM100,000 for the Sabah Agriculture Park Orchid Festival beginning next year, aimed at promoting the park to both domestic and international visitors.

She also approved RM200,000 as applied for by the park management to provide information signage for all the new hybrid species in the park.

For the festival, she said the impact on boosting the number of visitors to the park would be assessed first to see if it could be continued.

Speaking during her maiden visit to the park here Wednesday, Ng said the park that was built in 1981 has about 350 orchid species in its collection and ranked as among the best in the region.

In fact, she said Malaysia ranked 12th biggest in the world in terms of its flora and fauna.

“We are a bit disappointed that the Sabah Agriculture Park is not recording the number of visitors so that we can monitor its performance.

This park is so mesmerising, furthermore there are so many flowers and herbs such as the clerodendrum,” she said.

On the information signage, Ng urged the park management to make it with quality with tourism features as an added attraction for the visitors.

Meanwhile, she said last year the tourism sector contributed RM58.4 billion to the country with 24.7 million arrivals and from among them three million came to Sabah producing a tourism receipt of RM5 billion.

“We hope the Sabah Agriculture Park will be able to cooperate with tourism agents to include the park as among the destinations in their tourism calendar.

“All the activities must be included in a package,” she said.

Hoteliers and homestay operators must also offer reasonable rates but most importantly the surroundings must be kept clean and equipped with facilities such public transportation, she said.

“Tourists prefer to stay in budget hotels rather than the luxury type,” she said.

Accompanying Ng were Sabah Tourism Promotion Board Chairman, Datuk Tengku Adlin, his deputy, Datuk Sari Suhut and State Agriculture Director, Datuk M C Ismail.

She was greeted by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Radin Malleh and District Officer, Siriman M F Basir as well as other senior government officers and local community leaders.

Source: http://kepkas.sabah.gov.my/2012/06/18/rm300000-for-promotion-of-sabah-agri-park/

Photo source: http://auntydoris.blogspot.com/2009/06/sabah-agricultural-park-most-beautiful.html

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Keeping it Clean and Green

MALAYSIA is known to have some of the best tourist spots in the world. Be it the rainforest or skyscrapers in the city, Malaysia is filled with wonderful sights. In line with this, the Tourism Ministry launched the 1Malaysia Green 1Malaysia Clean Campaign (1MG1MC) last July. The idea, mooted by Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, aims to create greater awareness on preserving the beauty and cleanliness of the country.

“We must protect, preserve and conserve the environment,” stresses Dr Ng.

To ensure success of the campaign, the ministry is working with the Housing and Local Government, Youth and Sports, Education as well as the Natural Resources and Environment Ministries.

“The campaign is now at the initial stage and the ministry plans to make it bigger and broader this year. Hence, we are working with many parties to ensure the campaign will be a big success,” says Arif Mohd Daud Mohd, director of the industry development division at the ministry.

Some of the activities and programmes which have been carried out include:

> Plant A Tree project at ministry-registered homestays, to encourage tourists to cultivate trees at places where they had stayed.

> Gotong-royong activities at tourist spots such as beaches, waterfalls, parks and gardens.

> Activities promoting the 1MG1MC campaign at tourism events such as the Water Festival in Labuan, Langkawi in Kedah and Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan; 1Malaysia International Night Tourism Floral Parade in Putrajaya; Youth Tourism Carnival in Putrajaya; Parks and Garden Carnival in Penang Botanic Garden; and LIMA Tourism Carnival 2011 in Langkawi, Kedah.

> Collaboration with the private sector, media and non-governmental organisations in cleanliness and environmental awareness programmes such as Start in Pulau Tioman in Johor, Project Revive, 1MG1MC Boot Camp and Save Our Waterfall.

> A special TV programme for children featuring the campaign mascot “Mr Bin” to create awareness among children on the importance of keeping the environment clean.

> Collaboration with print and electronic media to publicise the 1MG1MC campaign.

Daud says the ministry plans to bring the campaign to a bigger platform this year. Cleaning efforts at tourist spots with NGOs, the corporate sector and schools will be more frequent. It will work with other groups, both governmental and private, as well as youths in higher education institutions, to spread the message on a greener and cleaner country.

To enhance the campaign, the ministry has launched the 1malay siagreenandclean.com.my website, which highlights and addresses issues pertaining to cleanliness and dirty tourist spots. The website also allows the public and tourists to upload pictures of popular destinations.

Another effort undertaken by the Ministry is to link up with some 36,000 students of 674 secondary schools nationwide which are registered under its Students Tourism Club (Kelab Pelancongan Pelajar or Kelab 3P).

“The mindset of the young should be shaped as they can influence their parents to think green when it comes to recycling and creating a cleaner and healthier lifestyle,” says Daud.

Recently, the Kelab 3P lined up several activities related to 1MG1MC, including a 3P Carnival which saw students competing in public speaking, choir and “explorace”. The 1MG1MC campaign is an excellent initiative to educate the young to keep the country clean, as well as promote the country’s tourism industry.

For more information, go to 1malaysiagreenandclean.com.my or e-mail info@motour.gov.my. 

Source: http://kepkas.sabah.gov.my/2012/01/31/keeping-it-clean-and-green/

Photo Source:  http://regougou.blogspot.com/2011/08/lets-protect-our-environment-go-green.html

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Keeping Malaysia clean and green

The 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean Campaign or 1MG1MC, was launched on July 18, 2010 by Minister of Tourism, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. A brilliant and innovative tourism campaign, the 1MG1MC aims to instil a cleanliness mindset among Malaysians, particularly at tourist spots.

It is also to create an awareness of the importance of keeping tourist spots clean and to inculcate in the mind of Malaysians the importance of preserving the beauty and cleanliness of the country.

Through campaigns such as 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean, the Ministry of Tourism believes it will help the ministry to answer the call by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The government aims to improve the tourism industry which would provide 2.7 million jobs in the industry by 2015.

In ensuring the success of the 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean campaign, the Ministry of Tourism has been working closely with four other ministries – Ministry of housing and Local Government, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of education and Ministry of Nature Resources and environment.

Apart from collaborating with the ministries, the campaign has also involved several non-governmental organisations, the private sector, Kelab Pelacongan Pelajar and Kuala Lumpur City hall to participate in some of the campaign programmes.

To enhance the success of the campaign, the Ministry of Tourism has also launched the www. 1malaysiagreenandclean. com.my website which is an integral part of the campaign. It highlights and addresses issues pertaining to clean or dirty tourist spots.

The website enables the public and tourists to upload pictures of any spots, especially tourist areas which are clean or those that need upkeeping.

Among the activities and programmes under the 1Malaysia Green and 1Malaysia Clean campaign are:

* Plan A Tree project at homestays registered with the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia. This project is to encourage foreign tourists to plant a tree at the homestay before leaving for their country.

* “Gotong-royong” activities at tourist spots. l Collaborating with food and drinks associations and hawkers to implement a “Cleanest hawker Stall” competition.

* Collaborating with taxi associations and organising a “Cleanest Taxi” contest and ensuring knowledgeable and respectable drivers.

* Organising a “Cleanest Mall” competition. l Collaboration with Giant hypermarket to place the 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean campaign logo on Giant shopping bags.

* A special TV programme for children that will feature “Mr Bin” to emphasise to children the importance of keeping the environment clean.

* Collaborating with print and electronic media to publicise the “1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean” campaign.

* Collaborating with highway companies to distribute 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean stickers at selected toll plazas and R&R (rest and relax) areas to increase awareness of the campaign.

* Organising a “Spot the ‘1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean’ car stickers” competition.

Source: http://kepkas.sabah.gov.my/2012/01/13/keeping-malaysia-green-and-clean/

Green Sabah says: The 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean Campaign (1MG1MC) is a brilliant effort in implementing cleanliness awareness among Malaysians, especially in places that a tourist attraction. This campaign not only requires the cooperation of certain bodies, but it is everyone's responsibility to ensure the success of this campaign. Hopefully this campaign will show positive results and boost the tourism industry in our country.

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