ITB Berlin News 2019 - Review Edition

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
29
New tourism product
in pipeline in Sabah
Exclusive Interview: YB Datuk Christina Liew, Deputy Chief
Minister, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Sabah
WE ARE GOING TO INVITE ALL THE
PALM OIL PRODUCERS, BIG OR SMALL,
TO SURRENDER THEIR LAND TO CREATE
A FOOD CORRIDOR FOR THE
ELEPHANTS AND THE ORANGUTANS.
YB Datuk Christina Liew
Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Tourism, Culture and
Environment, Sabah
YB Datuk Christina Liew has
held the position of Deputy
Chief Minister and Minister
for Tourism, Culture and
Environment in Sabah for
around nine months, since
the election of the new
government. We asked her
what she aims to change in
her new position.
Overall, I want to increase the
number of new products on the
market. To attract more tourists
to Sabah, we have to put new
products in place – not just the
same old thing. We have a number
of products – at least four or five
in 2019. I have been in constant
discussions with the GM and
Chairman of the STB about what
I have in mind, and that we need
the support to get it changed. It’s
time. Of course, after our initial
discussion and planning, we will be
sending it to the Chief Minister and
cabinet to get it approved and get
it done… and I am a very impatient
person. Very impatient. Adding on
more products for tourism is my
number one goal. I also have a
plan to expand existing product.
For example, the hot springs in the
National Park are rather old. They
are very nice, but they are 45 years
old, so we need to upgrade them.
One of the major products we will
be undertaking is in Tawau, as it
is a gateway to Eastern Sabah. I
have been in discussions with the
Minister of Transport as well as
the Malaysia Airports Bhd CEO,
and they are fully supportive that
Tawau airport will be a top priority.
While not promoting its status
from Domestic to International,
we need at least to get the facilities
upgraded.
When reading social media about
Borneo, many people claim that
orangutans will be extinct in the
next ten years. What is the real
story?
The orangutan is one of our
very precious protected species
– very precious to us. The state
government, through our wildlife
department, will do its best to
protect this species. If I ever catch
anyone killing an orangutan, I will
ensure they are dealt with by the
full force of the law. Some people
are already behind bars for having
killed orangutans. We take this
very seriously.
What about issues of deforestation
and palm oil?
A number of people think that
there is deforestation, and the
land is being converted into Palm
plantations, depriving our unique
wildlife, like orangutans, elephants
and so on, of their habitat,
depriving them of food, and the
elephants damage the plantations
looking for food. There are cases
like this, but we are tackling the
problem head-on. We are going to
invite all the palm oil producers,
big or small, to surrender their
land to create a food corridor for
the elephants and the orangutans.
This means that on each side of
the plantations, we will plant
food. When I return to Sabah next
week I will be holding discussions
with the Chief Minister to move
this forward. These animals are
national treasures, and we need to
protect them. They are priceless.
How has the show gone for you
this year?
As far as Sabah is concerned, there
is just one term to describe Sabah
– and that is “exotic experience”. It
is full of surprises and mysteries.
In the past, tourists would visit
Kota Kinabalu, the beaches, and
the mountains. But now more
and more are visiting the East
Coast of Sabah. Another thing
that is interesting more and more
people is homestay. Last year in
December, out of the 25 districts
in Sabah, we set up 16 district
homestays. It allows people to
understand how our people live.
The visitors live with the local
people, eat with them, learn about
the culture, and experience the
local flavour of Sabah. Today,
tourist is very much about meeting
people
ITB BERLIN NEWS • Friday 15 th March 2019