Sabah Power Project RM2.3b

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will have affordable energy and improved electricity supply once a RM2.3 billion hydropower project is completed in six years' time.

With a capacity of 180MW, the Upper Pada Hydroelectric Power Project (UPHEP) will be able to generate reliable electricity supply for the state.

Construction is expected to begin next year at the Pada basin, upstream of Kuala Tomani in Tenom.

It is expected to be completed in 2019.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said UPHEP would not involve a large water catchment area as only 590ha would be used, involving 2.3ha per megawatt.

"In comparison, the Bakun project requires up to 29ha of land per megawatt of power generated and the Murum hydro project, 26ha per megawatt.

"Therefore, this project qualifies for the Clean Development Mechanism status under the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change," he said yesterday.

He added that the project was approved with a government loan of RM569 million.

Ongkili, who conducted an aerial inspection of the project site and the Tenom Pangi hydropower station, said the construction of UPHEP would not only i

ncrease Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd's (SESB) capability to generate power but would also provide a flood-mitigation measure, especially for Beaufort and Tenom.

He also said the project would create 1,000 jobs during its construction phase.

It would also resuscitate Tenom's economy, he added. -nst

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China tourist influx a boon for eateries

 Locals and tourists alike enjoy Kuching laksa and claypot chicken rice at Kedai Kopi Yee Fung.

 

Sin Kee Bah Kut Teh workers making preparations before the dinner rush hour.

KOTA KINABALU: The influx of Chinese tourists to the state has brought about roaring business for eateries here, especially shops that serve local food.

Come lunch or dinner time, locals and tourists alike would swarm eateries such as Kedai Kopi Yee Fung, Sin Kee Bah Kut Teh, Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh, and Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice and BBQ Pork, and feast on bowls of aromatic laksa, devour pork belly, ribs or intestine from fragrant bak kut teh soup, or simply demolish plates of chicken rice.

Some eateries claim that Chinese tourists make up between 30 to 50 per cent of their customer base, a figure that shows the increasing significance of tourists to local businesses.

Preliminary statistics has shown that tourist arrivals from China and Hong Kong has increased by nearly 88 per cent in the first six months of this year, compared to the same period last year, said the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Masidi Manjun recently.

Cheng Chew Wang, owner of Kedai Kopi Yee Fung on Gaya Street, said his business has gone up by 20 per cent since April this year, a phenomenon that has intrigued him as tourist arrivals usually peaked in July and August.

Cheng said tourists from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong made up almost 50 per cent of his customers. The Chinese tourists have taken a liking for his Kuching laksa, claypot chicken rice and beef noodle soup because the food suit their taste buds, Cheng said.

Meanwhile, Ivan Chia of Sin Kee Bak Kut Teh at Jalan Pantai said, the shop’s customer base comprised of 50 percent locals, 20 percent regular customers and 30 per cent tourists. Western tourists, he said, made up less than 0.5 percent of his customers.

Bah Kut Teh has proven to be a very popular cuisine among Chinese tourists, especially those from China, who make up 80 percent of the Chinese tourists that patronise Sin Kee, followed by 15 to 18 percent Hong Kong Chinese and two percent Taiwanese, he said.

Chia said most of the Chinese tourists were walk-in customers or recommended by websites, adding that Sin Kee did not do any marketing or promotions.

The reason why the Chinese tourists like Bah Kut Teh was the flavour and taste which satisfy their taste buds, he said, so much so that some tourists would return to have Bah Kut Teh several times during their vacation here, he said.

“They come here and want to try and taste new things. They don’t have laksa and Hainanese chicken rice there (in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan), so when they come here, they want to try them out,” he said.

Sin Kee Bah Kut Teh pre-packed soup sachets, complete with instructions for homemade Bah kut Teh, are also popular among Taiwan and Hong Kong tourists.

“The China tourists don’t like to cook for themselves. The tourists who buy in bulk are mainly from Hong Kong and Taiwan,” according to Chia.

Sin Kee Bah Kut Teh was established 15 years ago and is open from 4pm to 11pm. Chia added that tourist arrivals usually peak in June, July and August, and the number of tourists will decline come September.

Goh Wei Seng, a staff of Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice and BBQ Pork, which has four outlets, which are located at Gaya Street, Wisma Merdeka, City Mall and Centre Point Sabah, also say that many Chinese tourists come to the shop for their food. TheBorneoPost

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Sabah needs extra 16,000 skilled workers annually

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah needs an additional 16,000 skilled workers annually to meet the growing demand by 2020, said Federation of Accredited Department of Skills Development Malaysia (FeMAC).

Its Sabah representative, Nelson Mosinoh, said Tuesday that based on the Human Resources Ministry figures, all 60 local skills training centres will face a daunting task to fulfil the 143,700 jobs created by the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC).

He said at the present rate centres can only produce 8,000 skilled graduates or Malaysian Skill Certificate (SKM) holders each year, while it needs to chalk up 24,000 for the next six years.

"The State will face a widening gap on supply of skilled workers and may force the local economy to take more foreign workers," he said during a joint press conference between FeMAC and the Consortium of Bumiputera Private Skill Training Centres, here.

Consortium member Ani Mohd Ridzuan, meanwhile, pointed out that of the 8,000 total skilled graduates, only 20 per cent are highly skilled, attaining the qualification of SKM Level III and above.

The rest are Level I and II, which according to Mosinoh, are graduates who can earn roughly from RM850 to RM1,200 a month upon graduation.

He also said some students are currently facing problems paying their study loans, as most of them are from poor families from the rural areas.

"They also cannot proceed to higher SKM Levels, from III to VIII, before settling their study loans," said Mosinoh, adding that they are thus held back from reaching to higher levels, which can provide a comfortable income.

In a recent report, the Human Resources Ministry revealed that more jobs will be made available to youths by 2020, thanks to the SDC's 31 Entry Point Projects.

Deputy Minister Datuk Ismail Abdul Muttalib also said out of the total 143,700 jobs to be created, 15,891 would be in the tourism industry, 29,611 in the agriculture industry, 12,201 in the palm oil industry and 23,122 in the oil and gas sector.

The three groups also called on the government to step in to resolve the issue and proposed measures, similarly to the Malaysian Youth Council to tackle the problem.

The measures are:

- Increase the National Skill Development Fund from RM300 million to RM1 billion beginning 2014.

- Initiate strategic collaboration between Private and Public Skills Training Institute and industries.

- Set up a special State fund on the development of skilled workers.

- Provide access to National Dual Training System (SLDN) centres to the National Skill Development Fund's grants and financial assistance.

- Improve the SLDN Funds (increase students and study fees allowances) in Sabah. - DailyExpress

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More China Tourists Via KK-Hangzhou Route

KOTA KINABALU: AirAsia’s decision to expand its connectivity from Kota Kinabalu to Hangzhou, China will contribute to the increasing number of tourists from China and Hong Kong to Sabah.

Tourism, culture and environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the arrival of international tourists from China and Hong Kong for the first five months of this year was up by 77.3 per cent compared to last year.

“The statistics had increased from 71,152 to 126,150 tourists, showing that China is a very important market for Sabah. For the past two consecutive years, China and Hong Kong recorded the highest international arrivals into Sabah,” he said in a press conference during the AirAsia inaugural Kota Kinabalu-Hangzhou flight at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) Terminal 2, yesterday.

Masidi said the ministry and Sabah Tourism Board (STB) will continue to work closely with each and all airlines that fly to Sabah.

“We have strong relationship with AirAsia. Even before AirAsia took its first flight, STB was already in discussion with this airline, formulating strategies to hub AirAsia in Kota Kinabalu. I am confident this partnership and cooperation will continue to grow further.

“The combined efforts from all parties including the Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad and the Ministry of Transport have made and positioned KKIA as the busiest airport in Malaysia, after KLIA. KKIA is the eastern gateway to Malaysia. It has a great potential to be the hub for AirAsia to fully tap the business prospects from northern Asia routes and Australia, saving on fuel and flight time,” he said.

Masidi added Hangzhou to Kita Kiabalu is about four hours flight, and is the fifth Chinese city to connect Sabah via a direct non-stop flight.

He said people from Hangzhou would appreciate going to the islands off Sabah, which are located 15 minutes away by boat from the city, water activities and fresh seafood.

“The Sabah government has worked with AirAsia for the last decade and will continue doing so. My ministry will work to further increase the number of air accessibility into Sabah to target 3.55 million arrivals and RM80 billion in tourism receipts by 2015,” Masidi added in his speech before the latest direct flight from Kota Kinabalu to Hangzhou, China took off on time at 4.10pm yesterday, with a healthy 85 per cent flight load.

The latest direct flight marks AirAsia’s 26th route into China and the fifth route from Kota Kinabalu to greater China. AirAsia has direct flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Taipei from Kota Kinabalu.

Apart from Masidi, AirAsia Berhad’s chief Executive officer (CEO), Aireen Omar, STB chairman chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, STB general manager Datuk Irene Charuruks and head of commercial AirAsia Berhad Kenny Wong were also present to send off the guests of the inaugural flight at KKIA Terminal 2.

Aireen, in her speech said AirAsia was committed towards enhancing connectivity from East Malaysia, and the direct flight from Kota Kinabalu-Hangzhou wouldl be a contributing factor towards making Sabah a major international hub for both business and leisure travellers.

“As this is the fifth route connecting China to Sabah, we hope that more tourists will be able to discover the beauty of Sabah through AirAsia.

“The route’s load factors for the upcoming months are on a steady growth rate, and we are confident this route will perform as expected. Apart from Kota Kinabalu, visitors from Hangzhou can also take advantage of our domestic connectivity in Sabah and fly to places such as Tawau, where they can enjoy one of the best dive sites in the world,” she added,

AirAsia is having a special promotion to mark this inaugural flight and a new direct route with all-in-fares from as low as RM289 one way from Kota Kinabalu-Hangzhou.

Guests can book this special rate online at www.airasia.com from yesterday until August 11, and travel between Sept 1, 2013 to Jan 23, 2014.

Hangzhou is one of the most scenic cities in China, with the famed West Lake at the forefront. The West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, comprising the West Lake and the hills surrounding its three sides is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage List and is a must-visit for anyone to Hangzhou.

The nearby Zhejiang Province also houses the ‘Thousand Island Lake’ with 1078 islets surrounded with crystal clear water.

Hangzhou is also a gateway to the vibrant city of Shanghai, with great attractions such as ‘Xintiandi’ – a lifestyle centre with great shopping and nightlife.

Other shopping spots include The Bund, Shanghai’s iconic riverfront and the Shanghai Yuyuan Bazaar.

For those who prefer to explore cuisines while traveling, Hangzhou is famed for dishes such as the ‘xiaolongbao’ (buns with soup), ‘Yangchun’ noodles (longevity noodles), Fried Steamed Bun, West Lake Sweet & Sour Fish and many more. - Theborneopost

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