Maliau Basin, Sabah, Malaysia

Maliau Basin Conservation Area

Maliau Basin conversation Area is one of Malaysia's finest remaining wilderness areas. Bounded by formidable escarpment reaching over 1,675 metres above sea level, the almost circular Basin encompasses 390 km of pristine forest, a virtually self-contained ecosystem, never permanently inhabited and with large areas still remaining to be explored and document. Remarkably, the whole Basin is a single huge water catchment, drained by one river only, the Maliau river, which flows out through a gorge in the southeast of the Basin, joining the kuamut River, and eventually the kinabatangan River, Sabah's longest and most important waterway.

Given that the area is in the wet tropics, and its special geology that is extremely conducive for selective weathering, crucial for waterfall have been discovered throughout the Basin, one of which is the magnificent 7-tier Maliau Falls. Located in the northern part of Maliau Basin is lake Linumunsut, through to be Sabah's only non ox-bow freshwater lake. Here, one can find fossilized marine gastropods from 16-17 million years ago when the lake area was once a coastal zone.

In 1981, together with Danum Valley, Maliau Basin was made a conservation Area within the yayasan sabah's long term forest Management Plan, to remain unlogged for conservation, education, research and recreation. While Danum Valley flourished into a world-renowned tropical research centre, Maliau Basin has remained in the shadows as Sabah's Lost World'

Management

In 1997, Sabah state Legislative Assembly designated Maliau Basin Conservation Area as a Class 1 (protection) forest Reserve and extended it to its present size of 588.4 km by incorporating forested land to the esdt and north of the Basin. The management committee, which was gazette pertaining to this is the forest (maliau Basin conservation Area) Rules, 1998. The same Gazette legally established the role of yayasan sabah as the manager of the area.

Yayasan Sabah, sabah Forestry Department and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Sabah Sabah wildlife Department, Sabah parks, sabah Museum, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), the state department of environmental protection, the district offices of Tongod, Nabawan and Keningau as well as the Tawau Municipal Council, among others are members of the Management Committee.

The area was further gazetted as a cultural (conservation) Heritage Site on 19 May 1999 under the cultural heritage (conservation) enactment 1998, thereby strengthening its protection status. Buffer zones surrounding the whole conservation area also add to its protection.

Collaboration

In 1999, a 4-year project was initiated between Yayasan Sabah and DANIDA (Danish International Development Assistance), resulting in the preparation of a Strategic anagement Plan for Maliau Basin Conservation Area, and the establishment of Maliau Basin Studies Centre at the southeast edge of the Basin for research, conservation, education and eco-tourism purposes. Generous sponsorship has come from Swedish company IKEA who funded a vehicle, satellite camps, trail and bridge construction, observation towers and the Maliau "Sky Bridge" while Sabah Shell Petroleum Limited sponsored the construction of Shell Maliau Basin Reception and Information Building.

Activities

In addition to being an ideal place for research and environmental education, Maliau Basin Conservation Area is perfect for adventure jungle trekking, bird watching, nature photography, night drives to spot nocturnal wildlife, waterfall swimming and recreation and simply experiencing the thrill of being in a truly unspoilt wilderness.

With over 70km of marked trails, only about one third of Maliau is open to visitors and less than half the Basin has been explored by researchers so far. Maliau Basin Conservation Area is a remote location safety procedures must be followed. These include having insurance which covers emergency helicopter evacuation for those trekking into the forest, being accompanied by Maliau rangers while on the trails and rental of VHF radios. Hunting is absolutely forbidden, and rules concerning the conservation of the area such as no collection of specimens without written permission, must also be strictly adhered to.

Waterfalls & Lakes

Maliau Basin contains many outstanding natural features, including probably the greatest number of waterfalls anywhere in Malaysia. The most famed of these is the spectacular 7-tiered Maliau Falls on the Maliau River, the highest fall of which is a magnificent 28m.Maliau is also the home of the fabled Lake Linumunsut, Sabah's only non-oxbow lake, situated below the outer banks of the northern escarpment.

Flora

Maliau Basin contains an unusual assemblage of forest types, comprising mainly of lower montane forest dominated by majestic Agathis tress, rare montane heath forest and lowland and hill dipterocarp forest. These lowland forests are rich in dipterocarps, legumes (kooonpassia, parkia), and fruit tress (wild species of rambutan, terap, starfruit, mangosteen, durian, belunu and bambangan (one species, mangifera bullata, is a first record for Borneo), and as a consequence the wildlife is both rich and diverse. Aquilaria malaccensis, the source of the sweet-smelling 'gaharu' or aloewood that has been used as incense since anciet times, is also recorded from the Basin. Inside the Basin itself along the alluvial flats and lower slopes of the central valleys, about 11% is covered in lowland dipterocarp forest, which grades gradually into hill dipterocarp forest on the slopes and ridges. The giant parasitic flower, Rafflesia tengku-adlinii, was found in this forest in 1998, only the second record for this species.

Fauna

Maliau Basin conservation Area, including the buffer zones, has an impressive mammal list. More than 80 mammals out of Borneo's total of 221 have so far been recorded from the entire area, including the first sabah record for the Least Horseshoe Bat, and possibly of the Black-eared Pygmy Squirrel, as well as a sighting of the almost extint golden-red Bay Cat, which is restricted to the island of Borneo. Clouded Leopard, as well as the Bornean Pygmy Elephant and Borneo's willd ox,the Banteng.

The most abundant large mammal in the conservation Area (outside the Basin itself) is probably the sambar dear, of which five to ten are nearly always spotted along the access road during night drives. An important finding of mammal surveys in maliau was a significant population of small wild cats. These are the rare Flat-headed and Marbled Cats,and the commoner Leopard Cat. The much larger Clouded Leopard appears to be present both inside and outside the Basin. These have also been records of the almost legendary golden-red Bay Cat. The sun Bear has been recorded both inside and outside the Basin. The Borneon Gibbon, whose distinctive calls resound through the forest canopy at dawn, and the Red Leaf Monkey, is commonest primate both inside and outside the Basin.

Satellite Camp Accommodation

Besides the chalet, resthouse and hostel accommodation facilities at Maliau Basin Studies Centre, Maliau offers a range of satellite camps linked by well-maintained trails. Belian Camp Belian Camp is about 25km drive from the Security Gate and within walking distance of Maliau Basin Studies Centre. It comprises a camping ground with space for 20 double tents, a large kitchen, toilets cum showers, and an attractive pavilion. Located in logged lowland dipterocarp forest near the banks of Maliau River, Belian Camp is close to an educational nature trail and an impressive canopy walkway, also known as Maliau "Sky Bridge".

Nephenthes Camp (Also known as Camel Trophy Camp)

Nephenthes Camp / Camel Trophy Camp is a two-storey building complete with bunk beds, showers and solar electricity, which can accommodate up to 15 visitors. Constructed by the participants of Camel Trophy in 1993, it was the first permanent camp within the Basin and is located strategically at the meeting point of lower montane forest and the rare and unusual montane heath forest on Maliau's southern plateau. A 33m high observation platform near the top of a large Agathis borneensis tree provides an opportunity to observe birds at close range and allows breathtaking views of the surrounding forest canopy and the beautiful Takob Akob and Giluk Falls are within 2 hours walk.

Ginseng Camp

Constructed in 2005 near to the impressive 27m high Ginseng Falls and about 5-6 hours walk from Agathis Camp, this substantial camp can accommodate up to 20 visitors, and has hammock-style beds and toilets cum showers.

Lobah Camp

Located near the top of a hill with a 230 degrees panoramic view of the Basin's rim, Lobah Camp is approximately 2km from the well-known Maliau Falls, and serves as a much-needed stopping point for visitors from Ginseng and Camel Trophy Camps, before arriving at the Falls.

Seraya Camp

Four to six hours walk from Belian Camp, Seraya Camp is located on what is expected to be the most important trail in MBCA in the future, as most visitors to Maliau Falls will spend the night here. Trails around Seraya Camp also pass a rare Rafflesia tengku-adinii site. Other satellite camps in remote locations such as Rafflesia, Strike Ridge and Eucalyptus Camps are accessible to visitors only by helicopter.

VVIP Chalet

Resthouse

Hostel

News

• 3 factors why investors love Sabah (May 24, 2012)
• RM37.1m for Sarawak tourism projects (May 23, 2012)
• 4WD challenge to boost tourism (May 21, 2012)
• Pioneering travel industry figureheads discuss the future of business travel (May 18, 2012)
• Tourism Malaysia hold roadshows in Australia (May 14, 2012)
• Tourism Ministry To Focus On Social Media (May 10, 2012)
• Trade fair scheme launched to acknowledge tourism related business premises
• Aussies get a taste of Penampang culture
• Durian - the 'King' of fruits
• Sabah as the bird sees it

4WD challenge to boost tourism

New Straits Times, Monday 21 May, 2012

KOTA KINABALU: In a bid to promote friendship and tourism, more than 150 four-wheel-drive (4WD) buffs completed a 1,100km expedition that covered Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei recently.

The inaugural Pan Borneo 4WD challenge, with the theme "Heritage to Heritage", was flagged off by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun at Mount Kinabalu National Park on April 29 and ended at Mulu National Park in Miri, Sarawak, on May 4.

Sabah Four Wheel Drive Association president Edward Lingkapo said yesterday 60 vehicles took part in the six-day expedition. "About 35 per cent of the route were off-road.

"We also stopped at tourist spots along the way to promote them," he said of their journey, which covered Kuala Penyu, Lawas, Temburong in Brunei, Limbang, Miri and Mulu.

"The purpose of the expedition was to open doors for 4WD enthusiasts in Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Peninsular Malaysia to get to know each other better." He said the response was overwhelming.

Lingkapo also revealed that the next Pan Borneo 4WD challenge would be more challenging as the association planned to stretch the off-road route to 50 per cent.

He added that the association would also play host to the Borneo Safari, one of the oldest 4WD competition in the country, in the final week of October.

3 factors why investors love Sabah

New Straits Times, Monday, May 24, 2012

KOTA KINABALU: SABAH'S political stability, sound policies and focused economic directions are three key factors that have caught the attention of the country's business community. Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia president Tan Sri William Cheng Heng Jem said this here yesterday after leading a delegation for a meeting with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

"Rapid economic development has taken place in Sabah. It looks different and the economic landscape is different," Cheng said, adding that the three factors were prerequisites investors looked for in a country or state.

"Sabah is rich in natural resources, such as timber, minerals, oil and gas. However, what is important is it takes the right leadership to take the state to greater heights." Cheng said tourism and agriculture, including aquaculture, were doing well in the state and had the potential to grow. "I am also told that Sabah has strong environmental conservation laws. "This is also good in terms of ecotourism."

Meanwhile, Musa said investors were interested in Malaysia because of the conducive atmosphere, good government policies and stable politics under the able leadership of Prime Minister Dauk Seri Najib Razak. He said the environmental laws on conservation had a long-term positive impact on the overall development of the state.

"Protecting the forests, phasing out logging and focusing on reforestation means that future generations can once again have tropical rainforests, which had been logged, in 30 to 40 years' time." Similarly, he said a clean and unpolluted environment helped to draw investors to Sabah.

Citing a United States-based multinational company, Darden Incorporated, he said the food giant had committed about US$2 billion (RM6.3 billion) to develop lobster farming off the coast of Semporna because the water was not polluted.

"They also told me that another important reason why they chose to invest here was because of the prevailing economic and political stability in Malaysia."

Pioneering travel industry figureheads discuss the future of business travel

International Travel Daily News, Friday, May 18, 2012

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) announced the speakers for the ‘Luminaries of Travel CEO’ panel to be held on July 24th, during GBTA Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. Trip Davis, President and Senior Associate Dean for external relations of the Darden School Foundation will moderate the panel with leaders of major travel suppliers including Barney Harford, CEO of Orbitz Worldwide, Luis Maroto, President and CEO of Amadeus, and Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott International, Inc. The panel is made possible by BMO Financial Group.

These luminaries will tackle crucial questions about the future of business travel including the changing supplier landscape and the new generation of business travelers. They will engage in an insightful dialogue about technological advances, industry consolidation and growing demands for sustainability shaping the industry.

“These panelists have a real inside view into the supply side of the travel industry. Their insights will be invaluable for the travel managers, meetings professionals and procurement leaders tasked with managing the important relationships affecting their travel programs,” said Michael W. McCormick, Executive Director and COO of GBTA. “This is one of the marquee panels at GBTA Convention and we’re excited to hear from them.”

Trip Davis is the President and Senior Associate Dean for external relations of the Darden School Foundation. As an award winning entrepreneur and executive in travel technology and data services, Trip is a visionary and driving force in the travel industry. He built two successful technology services firms which have been enablers of online travel, now the largest ecommerce category. He is the co-founder and Chairman of TRX, a global leader in travel technology and data services. TRX processes travel transaction data from over 400 sources in 50 countries he led the company from a start-up to $110 million in revenue and IPO in 2005.

Barney Harford serves as CEO of Orbitz Worldwide and director on the Orbitz Worldwide board of directors. As one of the world’s leading online travel companies, Orbitz Worldwide operates brands in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific that generate over US$11 billion in travel bookings each year. Barney previously served in a variety of roles at Expedia, Inc. and led the company’s entry into China, Japan and Australia. He also serves as a board member of LiquidPlanner, an on-demand project management service that is transforming the way organizations manage complex projects; and Orange Hotel Group, a high-design budget hotel chain based in China.

Luis Maroto serves as the President & CEO of Amadeus. Previously, Luis was Deputy CEO of Amadeus, with responsibility for overall company strategy as well as line management of the finance, internal audit, legal and human resources functions. He has also been instrumental in Amadeus’ return to the stock market with the company’s successful IPO in April 2010. Luis holds a law degree from the Complutense University, Madrid, an MBA from the IESE Business School and further postgraduate qualifications from Harvard Business School and Stanford.

Arne M. Sorenson is the President and CEO of Marriott International, Inc., a leading global lodging company with nearly 3,700 lodging properties in 72 countries and territories. In his previous role as Marriott’s President and COO, Mr. Sorenson was responsible for the performance and growth of all of Marriott’s worldwide brands and businesses. Mr. Sorenson is chairman of Marriott’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Council and co-founded Marriott’s Global Sustainability Council launching Marriott’s rainforest preservation partnership with the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation in Brazil.

RM37.1m for Sarawak tourism projects

New Straits Times, Monday, May 23, 2012

KUCHING: Under the 1st Rolling Plan (2011-2012) of the 10th Malaysia Plan, the federal government through the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia has allocated RM37.1 million for the implementation of 50 approved tourism projects in Sarawak.

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said to date, 14 projects had been completed, 14 other projects had been awarded to contractors and 22 projects were still at the stage of procurement process (inviting tender and quotation) and most of the 50 projects were expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

"My Ministry is also coordinating and reviewing tourism project proposals which are to be considered under the 3rd rolling plan of the 10th Malaysia Plan worth RM153 million," he said in his winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here today.

He said among the projects were Bakam Point-Miri, Bekenu Riverfront-Miri, Miri Tourism Corridor, Heritage Trail Kuching, Botanical Garden-Petra Jaya, Sarawak Museum, Digital Billboards-Kuching and Maritime Museum.

Johari said his ministry was looking forward to the completion of the jetty at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) to provide unique transportation experience for tourists to BCCK via the river taxi.

"This initiative gives BCCK the competitive edge amongst other worldwide convention competitors. This project is expected to be completed by the end of this year," he said. Talking on the Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE), Johari said there was growing awareness, particularly amongst developing nations, that business events such as association conferences were an essential ingredient in the economic strategy of a destination.

He said in order to move up the value chain of the Tourism Industry, my Ministry fully recognised the important contribution of the MICE sector to the economy. This was why the Ministry continued to support the development of convention bids, and the positioning of Sarawak as a business destination.

"Last year, Sarawak hosted 51 Conventions, Incentive and Corporate Meetings with 14,254 delegates and with a direct delegate expenditure of RM27.21 million," he said. Johari said the total number of bids won last year was 54 with estimated delegates at 24,875 with potential direct delegate expenditure of RM58.30 million up to 2016.

Tourism Malaysia hold roadshows in Australia

New Straits Times, Monday, May 14, 2012

MELBOURNE: Tourism Malaysia held successful roadshows here and Geelong this week, promoting Malaysia as "an affordable luxury destination". About 145 travel agents and tour operators attended the Tourism Malaysia presentation and dinner at a restaurant here. There was overwhelming response to the roadshow and many had to be turned away disappointed.

Tourism Malaysia Australia, led by its hard-working director Shahrin Mokhtar, captivated the audience with a colourful and fascinating promotion of Malaysia and its uniqueness. Malaysia Airlines, which supported the roadshow, was represented by its area manager here, Terence Swampillai.

Earlier in the day, about 40 Australian tourism agents and supporters took part in a golf event at the prestigious Woolands Golf Club, about 15km from here.

Many prizes were presented for outstanding efforts with the Malaysian consul general here, Dr Mohd Rameez Yahaya, presenting the main prize -- MAS tickets to Malaysia. Rameez also took part in the event.

Shahrin said there were about 30 people at the Geelong roadshow. "Geelong is a small provincial city, so it was a good turnout," he said. The roadshow will roll into the Tasmanian cities of Launceston on Monday and Hobart on Tuesday. It then swings to Brisbane on May 22 and to Sydney the following day.

Tourism Ministry To Focus On Social Media

The Star Online, Thursday, May 10, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry will place increased emphasis on social media to promote Malaysia's tourist attractions. This move was an important step as the traditional methods of advertising and promoting the country's tourist sites were no longer effective, said minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. She said the ministry would review its tourism promotional strategies by increasing its focus on social media to promote tourism activities. “Australia is spending A$150mil (RM465mil) for three years.

People who come to Malaysia must leave with sweet memories of hospitality, safety and good shopping experience. - Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen “The Philippines spends US$7.2mil (RM22mil) and Thailand is spending 40% of its tourism budget on social media. “In comparison, Malaysia has only spent RM1.8mil on six Facebook campaigns over a year,” she said after opening the inaugural Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference and Awards here yesterday.

She said a survey in Britain by Travelsat, an international survey group that monitors tourists' experience, showed that 40% of people would travel based on recommendations from friends and relatives. “People who come to Malaysia must leave with sweet memories of hospitality, safety and a good shopping experience. Bloggers can play a vital role in highlighting Malaysia's tourist attractions,” she added. The conference featured experiences from 18 travel bloggers.

Travel writer Shane Dallas of Australia, who blogs at The Travel Camel, said travel bloggers should write responsibly and be respectful of their host countries and hosts. “There is no need to rant about things that do not go well during your travels. Sometimes, things do not go as planned and there is no need to spoil your trip and someone else's experience,” said Dallas, who has visited 72 countries.

Malaysian travel writer David Hogan Jr said a travel blogger should always look at things from a positive angle. “Relate your travel experiences and information and produce something that people would want to read.

“If there is anything unsatisfactory, inform the hotel or tour operator so that they can make the necessary changes. If they do not, you can write a review at Trip Advisor (a travel information website),” said David, who blogs at blog.malaysia-asia.my.

Trade fair scheme launched to acknowledge tourism related business premises

Daily Express, Friday, January 13, 2012 - By Neil Chan

KOTA KINABALU: City Hall on Thursday launched its 'Fair Trade Tourism Select- An Accredited Outlet' scheme to acknowledge tourism related business premises which implement elements of responsibility and fairness in their business.

"This means that business premises selected in the scheme have been judged by City Hall to meet all of the terms to enable them to be accredited as responsible businesses," said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun who officiated at the launching.

"We in the Ministry are pleased with this programme as it will add value to this services and products offered to tourists."

He said what will happen is that each shop that is accredited will receive a certificate which is then displayed outside the business premises.

"What this would do is reassure tourists and customers that they will be getting a good service and a fair price as the accreditation is a guarantee that the premises will not charge them an unreasonable price."

Msidi said this after the launching of the scheme at Kadaiku, a handicraft and souvenir retail outlet in Sinsuran and managed by Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd which was the first accredited tourism related business outlet under the Fair Trade Tourism Select Programme.

According to him the reason they were targeting tourism related business with this accreditation programme was because they are the frontliners to the rest of the world.

"They reflect what Sabah is all about to foreign visitors. If we are reasonable and treat them well and we don't 'slaughter' them with high prices then obviously they will keep coming back again and again to Sabah to buy things."

He said the whole idea is to set a precedent where a business can still make money by charging a fair amount to all the patrons.

"This has been practiced in Hong Kong and it's doing well for the Tourism industry in Hong Kong.

Masidi also suggested that once a premise is approved under the scheme and passes a year operations without any issues then its accreditation be renewed on a two year basis.

Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir added that the shops under the programme will be monitored by City Hall to ensure they abide by the conditions of the accreditation.

City Hall Advisory Board member and Tourism, Culture and International Communications Committee Chairwoman Datuk Nancy Ho who said the presentation of the accreditation was the first of its kind in the State hoped the business would serve as a good role model as a flagship store for the State.

"At this point by the end of 2012, we hope that there will be 50 stores(in the programme) dealing in tourism related products," she said.

According to Ho, the application forms are available for download for the interested businesses at City Hall's and the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Environment websites.

Also present at the event was Ministry Permanent Secretary Datuk Michael Emban, Sabah Tourism Board Chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin and City Hall Deputy Director cum Programme Organising Chairman Bahari Hassan.

Aussies get a taste of Penampang culture

Daily Express, January 28 2012 - By Lorena Binisol

For the past four years since its setting up, Penampang Homestay have played host to many tourism-related activities with the assistance of Tourism Malaysia particularly Sabah Tourism.

This year was special as it entertained its first Australians who came not only to sample the homestay but to do research on Sabah's cultures and traditions.

This is something that we can be very proud as Sabahans," said Evelyn Masudal, coordinator of the Penampang Village Homestay.

They comprised educators including a professor and lecturers from Flinders University in Perth and teachers of primary and secondary schools all over Australia," said Evelyn.

There were 15 post graduate adults who have undergone their Masters in Flinders University Perth majoring in Asia Studies and are now doing their field trip cum research and they chose Sabah as one of their practical grounds.

They were brought in by Tourism Malaysia, Sabah branch and accommodation was arranged by Dynamic Tours and Travels.

They wanted to deepen their knowledge about the variety of cultures and traditions of Malaysia particularly in Sabah.

All of them were very impressed with the friendliness of the communities in Penampang area.

They said experiencing homestay is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get to know the real Malaysian people and their cultures.

"The best way to get to know us is by staying with us here," affirmed Evelyn.

"I am very overwhelmed with the hospitality with the people here and how they welcome me in their home.

"Though it is a short time with my host family, we managed to do family things together like having breakfast and sharing stories among the family.

"It is very educational for both sides as I have picked up a lot of information which I can relate to my research on this particular study I am into now, as well as they (host family) would get information about my country Australia," said Shelly Waldon, a primary school teacher in Melbourne, Victoria who is now completing her research on the cultures and the traditions of the Asia, particularly in Sabah.

This was her 2nd visit to Malaysia but first time to Sabah.

"Learning the cultures of Asia has always been one of my greatest passions. It is so important to highlight this subject to our young children so that when they grow up, they would understand more of other people's cultures and be acceptable of others' way of life," added Shelley, who specializes in Science and Environmental Education.

"For example, I notice there are varieties of traditional costumes you are wearing.

"I am curious to note whether these represent each of the ethnics identity or are they just another fashion," said Shelley who noted the different designs of the 'gaung moludu' worn by the homestay operators during the gathering.

And it was later explained by Sylvester Disimon, one of the homestay operators to the curious guests on the different types of 'gaung moludu'.

"Despite the availability of high tech, we have been ignoring cultural aspects, which I think is very much important.

"Just look at the migrants coming to my country, it is no longer the European like in the early centuries.

But it is now more of the Asians who migrate to Australia," Shelley added.

Shelley further explained that, it is very important for the younger generation to acknowledge the existence of other people's cultures and learn to respect them.

This way, she said indirectly we are contributing to the world peace and harmony among one another.

The group leader, Professor Douglas Trevaskies was impressed with the significant cultural heritage which is still very much alive and being preserved well.

"Monsopiad Cultural Village is one of the interesting places I have visited.

It gave us a kind of different perspective in discovering the cultural values of your ancestry.

"It is so important not to lose these values for the benefit of your next generation, so that they will continue preserving it as long as they live," Douglas affirmed.

"I wish to see and visit more of similar places like Monsopiad in the future, which is good for the visitors like us, especially my 'students', who are currently doing their thesis on Asia Cultures," said Prof. Douglas.

Clare Selir, 52, a primary school teacher from Mentone Girls College, Melbourne was amazed with the beauty and different cultures of each ethnic group in Sabah. "I must stay here for the whole year in order for me to learn your cultures.

"There are so many of them and everything is so alive and colourful.

Just look at your daily living, though we are in the 21st century, you are still preserving some of your ancestral value, like grating coconut using that wooden thing," said Clare who referred to the 'kingkinan' for grating coconut flesh.

"We cannot ignore the ancestral heritage like what you have now, they are valuable articles, and each of them represents a thousand meaning if you look at it distinctively.

"What I observe and learn from this visit would be my topics in my class when I get back to my school in Melbourne," said Clare who is now carrying out her indigenous studies for her project.

"What I observe and learn from this visit would be my topics in my class when I get back to my school in Melbourne," said Clare who is now carrying out her indigenous studies for her project.

Claire was also passionate about gender equalities, which is one of the subjects she was doing research on.

"Even your drinks amazed me, like what we had, a glass of 'Teh C' which I never tasted before.

It was smooth and pleasing to my taste bud. Food alone can take up a lot of my time in studying them, very interesting indeed," added Claire who was fascinated with the different kinds of drinks and food she discovered during her experience staying with the locals.

Lynn Jennison, from Oakleigh Melbourne who teaches in Dingley Village Primary School in Melbourne had this to share, "My primary school children are so curious about almost everything, they wanted to know what are silk, orangutan, traditional dances, etc all about.

Therefore, I took plenty of pictures of whatever I can get here, and these would be series of topics I am going to teach them when I get back to work. I have abundant of ideas now after seeing your various cultures.

Orangutan is another interesting topic for the children too.

They talk about it every time we touch on jungle animals," Lynn quipped.

"What we are doing now is all about creating awareness to our children.

We take cultures as the channel to inculcate in their minds that we can live in harmony despite the existence of so many cultures from different races of people surrounding us," said Lynn.

Rodney Issel, another teacher from Melbourne excitedly tasted the 'butod' (sago worm) saying, "This worm is nothing new to me.

Back in my hometown it is called 'grub' which is similar to your 'butod'.

"The taste can be unpleasant though," said Rodney. He added that though it was a short stay with the family here, the journey was quite informative and there was so much to learn from especially in the cultures aspect.

"I am always curious about anything-from food, design, tools, anything that has ancestral values.

It was simply amazing learning your cultures," said Rodney.

One of the homestay operators from Kg. Putaton, Penampang, Mary Sodong shared that she was pleased with the visits from tourists all over the world.

So far she has received groups from Holland, Denmark, Japan.

"I enjoy welcoming tourists from overseas. I am always proud to share with them our cultures such as rubber tapping, paddy planting and butod (sago worm) searching.

"In return they also share with me their cultures. I feel that I am rich with the knowledge given by these visitors," Mary said. She added that the younger ones would call her 'Mummy' and was very proud it.

"Lisa Winding and Paula Lindey both from Melbourne stayed with me for 2 nights recently.

"They were pleased with the simple accommodation I provided for them. Since they are on a study tour doing research on culture, I gave them a lot of information pertaining to our traditions, and hope it will help them in completing their project," said Mary proudly.

Another operator from Kg. Hubah, Penampang, Boniface Jingulam and Hilda Bisol who hosted Prof. Douglas Trevaskies and wife Julie said that, they are proud to present the simple accommodation and local delicacies to the visitors.

"I think my guests are pleased with our simplicity.

They just enjoy whatever is being served to them. It was indeed an educational trip for both sides, for me and my family and especially my guests who are very appreciative," said Hilda.

According to tour guide, John Prudente, this group of visitors were in the VIP category as they, not only visit Sabah for leisure, but most importantly, they are doing their research on the heritage and cultures.

"As the outsiders look at our cultures as very significant, all the more, we as Malaysians ought to preserve our legacy.

"We never know, our cultures might end up at the World Museums someday and be in the history book of the international schools all over the world," claimed John.

Durian - the 'King' of fruits

Daily Express, January 28 2012 - By Anthea Phillipps

DRIVING down to Beaufort the other day, we suddenly realized that after an unusually wet year without almost any fruit, the durian season was finally here and piles of this most famous (or infamous!) of fruits were appearing at the roadside stalls.

So popular is the durian that it is often called the "King" of fruits but though it is now grown all over South-east Asia, its original home is thought to be Borneo, the only area where truly wild trees have been found, though these are rare, and the durians being sold, whether along the roadside or in the markets, are cultivars, the result of decades of selective breeding.

The name 'durian' comes from the Malay word 'duri' for thorn, referring to the sharp spiky fruits; and the scientific Durio also derives from this source.

The well-known cultivated species is Durio zibithinus, the word 'zibithinus', coming from the Italian 'zibetto' for civet, referring to the strong odour. In fact the smell is so pervasive that it is a forbidden item of luggage on aircraft, in taxis and buses and is banned from hotels throughout the region. Nevertheless the Durian has been a favoured fruit since ancient times.

Burkill, in his "Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula", (1966), states that the Burmese kings used runners to bring them durians, but early western explorers differed widely in their perception of the fruit.

Over 400 years ago, the Dutch traveller, Jan Huygen van Linschoten, while in the employ of the Archbishop of Goa, (then a Portuguese colony), in India, gave one of the first accounts of the durian.

Writing in 1596 in his "Itinerario", he said, " .there is no fruit in the world to be compared with it .in taste and goodness it excelleth all kinds of fruits ".

It was to be another 250 years before the explorer Alfred Russell Wallace, famously wrote in his Malay Archipelago", in 1869, "In Borneo I found a ripe fruit on the ground and eating it out of doors, I at once became a confirmed Durian eater

This pulp is the eatable part and its consistence and flavour are indescribable. A rich butter-like custard highly flavoured with almonds intermingled with wafts of flavour that call to mind cream cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry and other incongruities. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses - but which adds to the delicacy.

It is neither acid nor sweet, nor juicy, yet one feels the want of none of these qualities for it is perfect as it is. It produces no nausea or other bad effect and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop.

In fact, to eat durians is a new sensation, worth a voyage to the East to experience." The durian is a small to large tree, with leaves covered in very distinctive silver or golden scales on the underside.

The large, white flowers are borne along the branches - the round spiky fruits that follow, are so heavy only the branches can support their weight.

In the evening the air in a flowering durian orchard is heavily laden with the scent of honey that attracts bats to pollinate the flowers.

The flowers contain large amounts of watery nectar, a delicious drink which the bats lap up, becoming covered in pollen in the process.

In the morning as soon as it is light, whatever nectar is left is eagerly sought after by bees, especially the giant honey bees, Apis dorsata, which will even explore flowers already fallen on the ground.

Squirrels, too, have been seen nibbling the nutritious flowers.

The heavy, thorny fruits generally fall to the ground before splitting open longitudinally to reveal the large shiny brown seeds embedded in the cream-coloured pulpy arils.

The durian is best eaten at a wayside open-air stall or when bought from a roadside vendor.

The Chinese say it is 'heaty' and should never be taken with alcoholic spirits. It is, however, a highly nutritious fruit containing large amounts of Vitamin A, B and C as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium; also goodly amounts of protein - almost a complete meal in itself.

Drinking salt-water from the rind is said to remove both the smell and the 'heaty' effect after eating, and in Sabah, children being given their first taste of durian will often be given water from the rind with a pinch of salt afterwards, to reduce the heatiness and its side effects such as dizziness.

In Kuching in 1989 it was reported by municipal council officials that during the peak of the durian season, 10,000 durians were consumed daily, causing a thorny problem for the refuse collectors!

The petals from the flowers are delicious when fried and the seeds can also be boiled or roasted, while the pulp is often made into jams, cakes and even ice-cream. Traditional delicacies such as 'lempuk', a Malay cake and 'dodol durian', a sticky confection of coconut juice, sugar, flour, eggs and durian pulp are still relished.

The ground-up rind, rich in sulfur, is said to ease heartburn while fresh rind is used to discourage bedbugs and the fruit has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac.

But this well-known durian is not the only one in Sabah - watch out for Part II next week on the Borneo's less well-known wild durians.

Sabah as the bird sees it

Daily Express, Saturday, February 25 2012, By Chris Maskilone

SABAH including the majestic Mount Kinabalu was featured from a perspective that has never been documented before in a special one-hour documentary - Shoot for the Sky - premiering on the Biography Channel yesterday (Saturday).

Making this possible were two award winning photographers - Cede Prudente and Jonathan Wong - whose journey to capture the beauty of Sabah from a paramotor (parachute + motor) were captured in the documentary.

Besides Mount Kinabalu, the other locations they have chosen included the mangroves on Sandakan coastline, Semporna Islands, the reefs and home of the sea gypsies and Mount Kinabalu for the documentary, which is a joint-collaboration between National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS) and GS Productions Sdn Bhd. It was produced by AETN All Asia Networks.

The story began a couple of years back when the director and founder of GS Productions Sdn Bhd, Julian Shori was looking for an effective way of capturing aerial photography. Among the issues normally associated with aerial photography is vibration and high cost involved apart from being very complicated, he told the Daily Express.

"So I told Chris Humphrey (Executive Producer, AETN All Asia Network) why don't we tell a story about taking aerial pictures," he said, adding that he knew a photographer from Sandakan who also wanted to take pictures from air.

Humphrey told him to check with Cede who then told him that he was interested but that he does not know how to fly, said Shori.

"They (Cede and Jonathan) told us that they actually want to do this coffee table book comprising pictures of Sabah taken from the air but there are several issues, including the fact that using a helicopter is very expensive," he said.

Shori said taking pictures of Mount Kinabalu using helicopter was also not allowed.

"So we made preparations É part of the whole journey (in the documentary) was learning how to fly the paramotor," he said, adding that Cede and Jonathan learned to fly the device in Klang in the peninsula.

According to him, there were "a lot of accidents" and all of them were captured on film.

But, unlike using other contraptions, he said flying the paramotor was actually quite safe because "if the motor fails then you have the parachute to come down smoothly" although the risk factor has always been the weather.

After preparing the two main talents to fly, Shori said they did not face much difficulty in securing approval from the relevant authorities such as the Department of Civil Aviation. In fact, the State Government had given them tremendous support particularly when shooting in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park as well as in Sabah Parks.

Shori said the locations were all chosen by Cede and Jonathan "and we were there only to capture their journey."

The production crew used 11 cameras to record the duo's experience.

"You'll see an organic show meaning it is not staged É they have done their best to capture everything from all angles but they cannot predict they can only guide them," said Humphrey.

Producer Valerie Lew, who is also a founding member of GS Productions, said they had wanted to cover the Kinabatangan River but it could not be done due to some constraints. For one, the Kinbatangan is full of crocodiles and it would be risky if they ended up in the river.

"I love the islands (in the East Coast of Sabah) É it is so untouched.

It is one of the diving spots in the world. It is really something that Sabah can really promote," she said when asked of her favourite location for the documentary.

"For me all three locations had their own speciality and beauty.

Frankly, Sabah is mind boggling it very beautiful not only its nature but even its people and seafood," said Shori.

Humphrey who had climbed Kinabalu before said it has always been beautiful to see the sea from above. "It is nice to be reminded of Sabah's beauty," he said, adding that uniqueness of Cede and Jonathan's journey was that they are taking people to look at these locations from a different perspective, which very few people have the privilege.

"This programme gives you an alternative view of the beauty of Sabah," said Humphrey. For the main talents, Cede, 47 and Jonathan, 27 there were many "mishaps, bad landings, bad take offs "you name it" which are normal in paramotoring and it is the risk that they just have to take during their adventure.

"One fine morning near Sepilok Forest, we were waiting for good wind to enable us to take off but the desired wind almost never happened so we have to endure on longer runs and many attempts. "After a few failed attempts you get exhausted and running with the 30kg paramotor engine stuck on your back is bound to cause mishap," said Cede.

"But once you are airborne É it's a great feeling and you look forward to achieve the images you have imprinted on your imagination.

Then all becomes reality," he said.

Sharing Cede's sentiment, Jonathan said doing the programme was worth every second of blood, sweat and tears.

Cede, who had been taking aerial pictures on a helicopter before said taking pictures from the air has its pros and cons. However, using a paramotor, he was able to pilot his way to the intended subjects and at the same time choose the altitude to obtain the desired images.

Jonathan, who is a landscape photographer said he had always wondered "what would a bird's perspective be like."

"Being on a paramotor is totally different, the possibilities are endless, and how you compose and expose your creativity levels differs from being in a controlled situation such as in a helicopter," he said, adding that paramotor is also silent giving an advantage to "sneak up" on subjects.

On why they wanted to do this, Cede said: "From these images we wish to showcase the spectacular view of some places in Sabah and a must to visit. Visitors can always access these locations via the respective government agencies or through tour operators."

"It's to share the beauty of Mother nature from a different perspective.

Being up there and conveying my images into an artistic representation of what beauty really is and why we should be conserving our planet is the main goal," added Jonathan.

Flora & Fauna

Facilities & Landmarks

Contacts

Kota Kinabalu (Head Office)
Block E, Unit No. 28, 3rd Floor, KK Times Square, 88100, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel :6088 486 168
Fax :6088 486 708/718
Email : [email protected]

Sandakan Operation
Ground Floor, Yayasan Sabah Group, Jalan Cheng Min/Jalan Mekaran, Sandakan, Sabah, 90715, Malaysia.
Tel :6089 225 718
Fax:6088 228 001

Tour Counters
1. Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort - +6088 318 208 / +6088 318 208
2. Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort - +6088 788 313 / +6088 793 313
3. Novotel - +6088 448 987 / +6088 448 987

Emergency Contacts
Mohd Sharuddin Mohd Wali +6016 832 1219
Liza Lujain +6016 832 1248