Sandakan (Part 2) [Archive] - Page 3

Malaijai

July 17th, 2009, 05:04 PM

BORNEO SUN BEAR CONSERVATION CENTRE TO BE BUILT IN SEPILOK
Bernama - Saturday, July 18

SANDAKAN, July 17 (Bernama) -- A Borneo sun bear conservation centre will be set up in Sepilok here in an effort to prevent the endangered animal from becoming extinct.

It will be next to the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sepilok, and the ground-breaking ceremony for the project was officiated by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, here, today.

Director of the sun bear conservation centre, Cynthia Ong, said the centre, to be built in three phases, would have facilities including a home that could accommodate 43 sun bears, a visitors' area, a gallery for exhibits and a natural walkway.

She said two hectares of the centre were located in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve area, hence allowing the bears to live in a natural environment.

The first phase of the project involves building a home that can take in 27 sun bears and is expected to be ready in six months from now.

Ong said the RM1.3 million needed for the first phase came from the private sector and government agencies.

"We are now trying to raise RM600,000 needed for the second phase and RM900,000 for the third phase of the project," she added in her speech at the ground-breaking ceremony.

She also said that the setting up of the centre involved the cooperation of the Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department and LEAP (Land Empowerment Animals People), a non-governmental organisation.

-- BERNAMA

ntly1

July 18th, 2009, 02:02 PM

After looking those pics of Sandakan foods posted in

http://sdkfood.blogspot.com/search/label/breakfast

I miss Sandakan very very much !!! :cry::cry:

TWK90

July 20th, 2009, 08:15 AM

Source : http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/istarwd/Article/index_html

The Starwood family in Malaysia is set to grow with two new confirmed openings - the 300-room Four Points by Sheraton Sandakan, Sabah in 2011 and a 200-room luxury category The St Regis Kuala Lumpur in 2014.

benz

July 22nd, 2009, 01:31 PM

DAP on S'kan blackouts

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah DAP claimed many power stations in Sandakan were not functioning properly, causing much inconvenience to the people.

MP Dr Hiew King Cheu, in a statement, said he learned about the matter following a visit to all the power generating facilities in the district aimed at understanding further the real cause of the power cuts, failure and shortage in the area.

The inspection team visited facilities such as the Gantisan power barge (2x20MW), IPP-Sandakan Power (4x8MW), Libaran Power (4x15MW), Kina Biopower (1x10MW), Labuk (3x4.74MW), Batu Sapi (3x8MW) and (2x14MW), and a jet turbine power generator (1x20 MW).

"According to calculations, the total output is 228.22MW. This is 30 per cent of the whole of Sabah's requirement of 750MW.

"Just for Sandakan alone there is a total requirement of 220MW. Very unfortunately, this is not the real picture, because the Sandakan power facilities are in a very poor stage. "During the inspection last Sunday, the team found that most of the power generators were practically not functioning, namely the Gantisan Power Barge, Batu Sapi Station and the jet turbine in Batu Sapi."

Hiew said with so many power generators in Sandakan out of service (seven out of 20) and a power loss of 98MW out of 228.22 MW, there was little wonder why the Sandakan people were upset over the power supply.

"The power cuts and load shedding in Sandakan town are getting more serious nowadays. "There is little effort being put to repair and upgrade the facilities, or at least there should be some concerted effort and plans to bring in new, big and efficient power generators to give Sandakan its power supply.

"The existing generator sets are worn out with low output efficiency, and might break down anytime É what will happen then? How long do the Sandakan folk have to wait for a steady power supply?"

Hiew viewed the situation as critical in Sandakan and asked who was to blame for the matter. It is the Government they should point their finger at. The Barisan Nasional government seems powerless to help the folk in Sandakan.

"The DAP is calling on these people to bring back the power supply to Sandakan, failing which they would be failing the Sandakan people who had voted them to their seats."

rizalhakim

July 24th, 2009, 10:39 AM

MAS to fly to Tawau, Sandakan twice daily
Published: 2009/07/24

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will increase flights from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau and Sandakan to twice daily,effective September 16.

MAS Senior General Manager, Network and Revenue Management, Dr Amin Khan said Tawau and Sandakan are both popular destinations for business and tourism with loads of above 75 per cent.

"In tandem, with popular demand, we are pleased to increase the frequency to strengthen business ties between west and east Malaysia while promoting these two destinations to local and foreign tourists," he said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said Tawau is a popular stopover for divers before heading off to Sipadan while many Australians travel to Sandakan, especially to the War Memorial Park there.

"Demand for domestic travel has increased 15 per cent over the past couple of months due to the highly competitive fares on offer," he stated.

Bookings for flights to Tawau and Sandakan are now open at www.malaysiaairlines.com. -- BERNAMA

ntly1

July 31st, 2009, 01:36 PM

New S'kan bus terminal

Sandakan: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong will propose a new express bus terminal in Sandakan to improve safety and infrastructure facilities.

"For the long-term upgrading process, I suggest meeting the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department to get funds to build a multi-level bus terminal worth about RM17.5 million," he said.

The terminal has been in operation for seven years and has catered to the needs of locals and tourists who need buses for destinations such as Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Semporna and Lahad Datu.

He said, as a short-term measure, RM200,000 was allocated by the Members of Parliament Fund to be used to upgrade the terminal soon.

The upgrade is expected to be completed between three and six months.

^^

Is it the same Terminal?? 7.5M Vs 17.5M??

SANDAKAN TO HAVE INTEGRATED BUS TERMINAL - NAZRI
Bernama -

Friday, July 31SANDAKAN, July 30 (Bernama) -- A new integrated bus terminal will be built here in an effort to improve public transportation in the east coast of Sabah.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said a four-hectare site had been earmarked for the RM7.5 million project.

When completed, all bus services, including mini bus services, here would be relocated to the new terminal, he told reporters after visiting the express bus terminal here today.

-- BERNAMA

Malaijai

July 31st, 2009, 02:03 PM

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/06/02/08/16/3859176_640x427.JPG

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/06/02/08/18/3859188_640x480.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/06/02/08/18/3859191_640x427.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/06/02/08/18/3859186_640x425.jpg

http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/06/02/08/18/3859194_640x427.jpg

^^ I saw some news from another forum saying that the construction works at site of this hospital have been stalled. No construction activities at site?? :ohno: anyone can confirm it?? cheers!!

ntly1

July 31st, 2009, 02:08 PM

^^ It would be sad if it was true!!:ohno:

Sabahkid

August 1st, 2009, 05:30 AM

Just taken some latest update for SHS... will post them later on... watch this space!

cheers

Had some problems with internet access lately. Anyway, here r some photos taken early this mth...

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4316/img2307b.jpg (http://img521.imageshack.us/i/img2307b.jpg/)http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/img2307b.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img521/img2307b.jpg/1/)

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8929/img2308i.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/i/img2308i.jpg/)http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/img2308i.jpg/1/w480.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img93/img2308i.jpg/1/)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2541/img2309.jpg (http://img521.imageshack.us/i/img2309.jpg/)http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/img2309.jpg/1/w480.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img521/img2309.jpg/1/)

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/3520/img2310.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/i/img2310.jpg/)http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/img2310.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img93/img2310.jpg/1/)

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/984/img2311.jpg (http://img56.imageshack.us/i/img2311.jpg/)http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/img2311.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img56/img2311.jpg/1/)

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/5608/img2312h.jpg (http://img56.imageshack.us/i/img2312h.jpg/)http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/img2312h.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img56/img2312h.jpg/1/)

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/3470/img2313.jpg (http://img83.imageshack.us/i/img2313.jpg/)http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/img2313.jpg/1/w480.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img83/img2313.jpg/1/)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4161/img2318.jpg (http://img385.imageshack.us/i/img2318.jpg/)http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/img2318.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img385/img2318.jpg/1/)

cheers

Sabahkid

August 1st, 2009, 05:35 AM

This is the current progress of the office block at Indah Jaya. Anyone knows which company will be moving in here?

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/4483/img2304z.th.jpg (http://img93.imageshack.us/i/img2304z.jpg/)

ntly1

August 1st, 2009, 10:20 AM

TWK90

August 1st, 2009, 06:00 PM

^^

Is it the same Terminal?? 7.5M Vs 17.5M??

Different story in this report

Source : http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=55820

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Allocation to build bus terminal

SANDAKAN: The government has allocated RM17.5 million to build a permanent and modern outstation bus terminal on a 10-acre site at Mile 3, Northern-Link Road here.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz announced this yesterday reiterating the necessity for the allocation which was approved by Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan earlier Thursday.

Nazri said: “It is time for Sandakan to have a hub so as to reduce traffic woes due to the large number of mini buses here.”

But he explained that the traffic jam here is not that bad.

Nazri said let the Sandakan Municipal Council handle the matter.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk VK Liew said: “We’ll start to build the new terminal as soon as the allocation is in place.”

Sabahkid

August 3rd, 2009, 04:20 AM

Different story in this report

Source : http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=55820

The most likely location for this new bus station will be at the junction between Northern Ring ROad and Jalan Bomba.

Anyway, seems like whatever we need we need to wait for $$ from the federal govt.... jus wonder what our state govt's doing or can do (if any at all...)

cheers

Sabahkid

August 7th, 2009, 12:26 AM

ntly1

August 7th, 2009, 12:29 PM

The English Tea House rated as one of the 10 best places to eat British abroad.

Check this out:

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/skyscanners-top-10-blighty-bites/

But one mistake in that article though.... since when we are in Indonesia? haha...

^^ I have sent an email to the editor of that article about the error. hopefully he may now know where Sandakan is and the difference between Malaysia & Indonesia! Cheers !!:lol:

Malaijai

August 7th, 2009, 02:12 PM

^^It has been changed !!

Sabahkid

August 8th, 2009, 02:43 AM

^^ I have sent an email to the editor of that article about the error. hopefully he may now know where Sandakan is and the difference between Malaysia & Indonesia! Cheers !!:lol:

I did the same and even extended my invitation to him to visit Sandakan haha...

ntly1

August 11th, 2009, 08:05 PM

source: TheStar
Outages in Sandakan getting out of hand

I WOULD like to express my concern and anger regarding the power outages in Sandakan district for the past two months which have been getting out of hand.

Before this, it was usual for us to experience power outages three or four times a month.

However, in the last two months, the people of Sandakan have been experiencing power outages of between four and five hours almost every single day!

This usually happens during the daytime when businesses are running and children are at school.

These power outages have caused not only inconvenience but also losses to the people of Sandakan.

We would appreciate it if the Sabah Electricity Berhad (SEB) could attend to this issue immediately.

ESTHER,

Sandakan.

^^I have the same anger with Esther for the past 2 decades!!!:bash: How long this problem will be really overcome????:ohno:

bart_shinoda

August 12th, 2009, 04:55 PM

^^I have the same anger with Esther for the past 2 decades!!!:bash: How long this problem will be really overcome????:ohno:

bagus hantar lg complain p berita harian and bawa buletin utama p sana..... rasanya tindakan akan terus diambil tu he he he...... malu bah tu kalo 1 malaysia tau

ntly1

August 13th, 2009, 01:57 PM

bagus hantar lg complain p berita harian and bawa buletin utama p sana..... rasanya tindakan akan terus diambil tu he he he...... malu bah tu kalo 1 malaysia tau

^^masalah itu sudah lebih 20 tahun bah, kalo 1malaysia masih tak tahu, memang malu bah tu!!! slogannya memang bising tapi nak selesaikan masalah orang Sabah tu sunyi saja dan tunggu sekejap la. Jangan harap tu bharian atau utusan akan peduli masalah tu, mereka tak layan nak memalukan 1malaysia tu!!! hahaha :lol::lol:

bart_shinoda

August 13th, 2009, 09:13 PM

^^masalah itu sudah lebih 20 tahun bah, kalo 1malaysia masih tak tahu, memang malu bah tu!!! slogannya memang bising tapi nak selesaikan masalah orang Sabah tu sunyi saja dan tunggu sekejap la. Jangan harap tu bharian atau utusan akan peduli masalah tu, mereka tak layan nak memalukan 1malaysia tu!!! hahaha :lol::lol:

^^ ada try ka p approach tu BH sama BU?

ntly1

August 13th, 2009, 10:35 PM

^^ ada try ka p approach tu BH sama BU?

^^kalo ada complain di The Star pun tak ada response !!!BH sama BU..lagi tak boleh harap bah!!! jikalo selepas 20 tahun, masalah itu masih mahu rakyat complain baru pergi selesai tu..kerajaan ini memang tak boleh harap bah!! susah susah !!! hahaha

TWK90

August 14th, 2009, 01:56 PM

Not only Sandakan, but even Tawau also faces frequent blackout, and that is very unfortunate...

bart_shinoda

August 14th, 2009, 04:27 PM

^^kalo ada complain di The Star pun tak ada response !!!BH sama BU..lagi tak boleh harap bah!!! jikalo selepas 20 tahun, masalah itu masih mahu rakyat complain baru pergi selesai tu..kerajaan ini memang tak boleh harap bah!! susah susah !!! hahaha

^^^^^^^^
kalo sdh mcm tuuuuuu, terpaksa la kasi libatkan politik kalo susah susah hehehehehe..... kasi raise this issue sama P*R or *AP..... lagi bagus dua2 kah kah kah.....

TWK90

August 15th, 2009, 08:46 AM

Sandakan Harbour Square

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image007.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image011.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image010.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image012.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image013.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image014.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image015.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/Image017.jpg

Sabahkid

August 16th, 2009, 01:20 AM

TWK90

August 16th, 2009, 05:45 AM

Wat's that "bridge" linking Genting Mas Mall and the adjacent block? Did not see that in the original plan.

cheers,

I have no idea about the bridge too...

Anyway, this is larger photo of Sandakan Harbour Square building signboard.....here, you can see the details...

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/RQ21ZQQ-1.jpg

bart_shinoda

August 16th, 2009, 06:17 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WHOAAAAAAA!!!!!!
:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

Sabahkid

August 17th, 2009, 10:38 AM

I have no idea about the bridge too...

Anyway, this is larger photo of Sandakan Harbour Square building signboard.....here, you can see the details...

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Nissan_FUGA/Sandakan/RQ21ZQQ-1.jpg

Any idea what's Expression Galleries (4th from the bottom)?

Sabahkid

August 17th, 2009, 10:45 AM

From JGP Architecture...

http://www.jgp-group.com/jgpweb/portfolio.php?subsection=commercial&from=0&pfid=51&lang=en#

TWK90

August 17th, 2009, 11:40 AM

Any idea what's Expression Galleries (4th from the bottom)?

Well, Expression Galleries is stated as "hotel interior design"

ntly1

August 17th, 2009, 12:15 PM

Source: The Star

S'pore based Jetstar wants to fly to more M'sian townsBy B.K. SIDHU

Singapore-based airline trying to get extra planes

KUALA LUMPUR: If Jetstar Asia gets more air planes this year it will like to fly to Ipoh, Sandakan and Tawau from Singapore, says chief executive officer Chong Phit Lian.

The request for more airplanes has been made from its parent, Jetstar Australia, and Qantas, which has ordered 63 new A320 with staggered deliveries.

But for now, Jetstar Asia has to contend with growth from its existing business even though it has been increasing its Singapore-to-Penang flights from once daily to twice last week.

“We are evaluating other points as the major cities are currently being served. Our constraint is aircraft. If we can lease more we would like to fly to more places,’’ she told StarBiz recently.

Besides the three destinations in Malaysia, the airline also hopes to fly to Guanzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu in China and Chennai and Mumbai in India.

Next year it plans to fly to Tokyo.

Ipoh will be possible if the airport can accommodate an A320, Chong said.

Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based airline that is 49% owned by Australia’s Qantas and the remaining 51% is still held by Dennis Khoo, a long-time partner of Qantas in this region. Temasek Holdings has exited from Jetstar Asia since April this year. Jetstar Asia owns 100% of Valuair. Chong is also CEO of Valuair.

Chong Phit Lan ... ‘A lot of people in the corporate world think they cannot make changes to their tickets once they have purchased.’

The airline started off with two daily flights to KL International Airport early this year and today offers connectivity to Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

It has 19 weekly flights to KLIA, 14 to Penang, four to Kota Kinabalu and a daily service to Kuching.

Beginning August this year the airline began offering interlining for passengers from and to Qantas, Jetstar Australia and Jetstar Pacific. The latter two airlines are units of Qantas.

The new arrangement with Qantas and Jetstar Australia and Pacific provides a seamless ticketing offering for airline customers on all of Jetstar Asia’s markets.

The new interline agreement with Qantas may offer London or Amsterdam-based customers the ability to purchase itineraries to all Jetstar Asia markets on its existing flight network and it also allows Jetstar’s customers in South East Asia to seamlessly connect with Qantas’ global network to and out of Singapore or Malaysia.

“The next thing we are working on is to provide interlining for Oneworld members. Qantas is a member of Oneworld and we would like to be the connecting point for Oneworld members,’’ Chong said, adding that “we expect to grow passengers with our interlining arrangements.”

The airline is excited over the prospects of interlining and hopes the partnership will help it carry more passengers than the 1.8 million it carries yearly. It also enjoys an average load factor of about 80% system-wide despite the A(H1N1) influenza scare currently.

“The industry faces a lot of challenges but we are very nimble and quick to react and that helps in our business,’’ she said.

She said there was an increasing number of corporate travellers flying with Jetstar and in Singapore it was the airline for 400 companies, including some multinationals, that used the airline for travel regularly.

“A lot of people in the corporate world think they cannot make changes to their tickets once they have purchased but we allow for first-time change for free and the next we charge a nominal sum,’’ she said.

She said fares had nosedived from strong competition but might go up slightly with the festive season.

^^I am looking forward to this...hopefully it will start soon!!:cheers:

valths

August 17th, 2009, 01:03 PM

Any idea what's Expression Galleries (4th from the bottom)?

Taller than Yayasan Sabah? How many meter high?

laphorpo

August 18th, 2009, 04:40 PM

Sabahkid

August 19th, 2009, 11:27 AM

^^I am looking forward to this...hopefully it will start soon!!:cheers:

Maybe shd consider Sydney-S'kan-S'pore-S'kan-Sydney haha.....

ntly1

August 20th, 2009, 02:04 PM

source: The Daily Express

Sepilok canopy walk attracts 16,000 till July

Published on: Thursday, August 20, 2009

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5412/canopy2.jpg (http://img9.imageshack.us/i/canopy2.jpg/)

Sandakan: The district is fast emerging as one of the nation's key bird watching centres - thanks to the canopy walkway at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok.
Sabah Forestry Department Director Datuk Sam Mannan said the canopy walk recorded a total of 16,000 visitors in the first seven months of the year.

"Over the last year, the canopy walk has become an increasingly popular attraction among both foreign tourists and locals," he said after receiving the keys to newly completed facilities at the Discovery Centre, located some 23km from town, here.

The new facilities comprising a restaurant, a gift shop and a VIP room, form part of the Canopy Walk Reception Complex.

Costing about RM2 million from a special allocation from the Chief Minister's Department, the structure took five months to complete.

At the brief event on Tuesday (Aug. 18), Mannan commended the contractor, Buildtech Enterprise, for a job well-done.

When fully completed, the complex would also include a theater and a ticketing booth.

Work is now in progress to construct a walkway linking the Canopy Walk Reception to the existing canopy walkway, extending its length to some 300m.

During the morning ceremony, Mannan also received the Certificate of Practical Completion for an insect museum at the Forest Research Centre.

ntly1

August 20th, 2009, 02:16 PM

Maybe shd consider Sydney-S'kan-S'pore-S'kan-Sydney haha.....

^^ya..may be should fly to other cities in Australia as well..:)

nazrey

August 22nd, 2009, 06:55 AM

Sandakan's fortunes in eco-tourism'
Published on: Friday, August 21, 2009

Sandakan: Batu Sapi MP, Edmund Chong Ket Wah, said nature tourism was the way forward for the district. "It will definitely enhance Sandakan's economy with the influx of tourists from all over the world.

"The Sandakan Rainforest Park is an additional attraction which is not only unique but it is conveniently located within the town area," he said when launching the Sandakan Rainforest Park book, Thursday.

He said with such strong history and scientific values as written and illustrated in the book, the Sandakan Rainforest Park, also known as Kebun Cina Forest Reserve, deserved to be conserved and promoted as an eco-tourist destination.

"That is why I believe the State Government gazetted this forest as an Amenity Forest Reserve in January 2007," Chong said.

"The core area of this park is still in pristine condition. Many lowland species of flora and fauna of Borneo are found in this forest.

"It is a good example of a lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, with about 34 dipterocarp species, some with spectacular size.

"There are also four species of the carnivorous pitcher plants, scientifically known as Nepenthes, or sometimes known as the monkey cup É this fascinates people," he said.

Apart from that, Chong said there were also other interesting plants such as the Karamunting, an evergreen, ornamental shrub, after which the Karamunting area here was named.

"The fauna which includes the mammals, birds and insects are equally interesting even though this patch of forest is surrounded by housing areas and other developments."

He said nature trails on pitcher plants and the forest with tree tags have been established to enable locals and tourists to enjoy, understand and appreciate nature.

"I hope the public will take care of the facilities provided by the government for a better and healthier environment É I am also pleased to know that an impressive website has been developed, featuring the Sandakan Rainforest Park," he said.

Meanwhile, Chong encouraged the Forestry Department and Sandakan Municipal Council to expedite the development of the park based on the masterplan for the benefit of visitors.

"As MP for the constituency which covers this park, I will try my best to facilitate the development of the park," he said.

nazrey

August 22nd, 2009, 08:12 AM

source: The Daily Express
Sepilok canopy walk attracts 16,000 till July
Published on: Thursday, August 20, 2009

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5412/canopy2.jpg (http://img9.imageshack.us/i/canopy2.jpg/)

Sandakan: The district is fast emerging as one of the nation's key bird watching centres - thanks to the canopy walkway at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok.
Sabah Forestry Department Director Datuk Sam Mannan said the canopy walk recorded a total of 16,000 visitors in the first seven months of the year.

"Over the last year, the canopy walk has become an increasingly popular attraction among both foreign tourists and locals," he said after receiving the keys to newly completed facilities at the Discovery Centre, located some 23km from town, here.

The new facilities comprising a restaurant, a gift shop and a VIP room, form part of the Canopy Walk Reception Complex.

Costing about RM2 million from a special allocation from the Chief Minister's Department, the structure took five months to complete.

At the brief event on Tuesday (Aug. 18), Mannan commended the contractor, Buildtech Enterprise, for a job well-done.

When fully completed, the complex would also include a theater and a ticketing booth.

Work is now in progress to construct a walkway linking the Canopy Walk Reception to the existing canopy walkway, extending its length to some 300m.

During the morning ceremony, Mannan also received the Certificate of Practical Completion for an insect museum at the Forest Research Centre.

TheStar News

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/8/22/southneast/se_01sepilok.jpg

ntly1

August 24th, 2009, 12:25 PM

^^ I think this is a SPAM !!!

rizalhakim

August 25th, 2009, 09:38 AM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2534/3855497294_f0db0f462c_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3468/3854710987_24239753b8_o.jpg

ntly1

August 25th, 2009, 04:29 PM

^^ It is another design change for One Avenue. When it is going to build??

ntly1

August 25th, 2009, 04:30 PM

Source:http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/31430

SBBA spreads its wings to Sandakan

25th August, 2009
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Amateur Bodybuilding Association (SBBA) has added a new feather to their cap with the setting up of a pro tem committee in Sandakan.

If approved, the Sandakan Bodybuilding Association will be the third association to be affiliated to the SBBA after the Keningau Bodybuilding Association and the Papar Bodybuilding Association.

State Assembly Speaker, Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin, who is also SBBA President, said they visited Sandakan recently, and that their main purpose was to help set up an association besides surveying the area as well as searching for new talents.

“A pro tem committee has already been formed and is currently pending approval from the Registrar of Societies,” said Juhar.

“The association in Sandakan (Sandakan Bodybuilding Association), once approved by the ROS, will operate its training centre at the Sandakan Sports Complex, and will help to identify any potential athletes in the city so that they can be trained for the coming Mr Malaysia Championship which Sabah will host in 2011,” he added.

He pointed out that even though there is still a long way to go before Sabah host the Mr Malaysia for the third time, they have decided to start the ball rolling in terms of athletes’ preparations from now.

“This year we managed to win 1 gold medal, 3 silver medals and 1 bronze medal from the championship in Johor last month. We also took the overall runners-up title, which the whole team was very happy about.

“But our target for 2011 is to win the overall title and win 3 gold medals, 3 silver medals and 2 bronze medals,” said Juhar.

Juhar said that the initiative of forming an association in Sandakan was inspired by Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Peter Pang En Yin who called on SBBA to spread its wings to develop the sport in Sandakan.

“After Sandakan, Tawau is likely our next destination,” said Juhar.

Among other initiatives, SBBA also conducted a briefing for 16 elite athletes at 1Fitness Centre in 1Borneo Hypermall, Saturday.

The briefing, conducted by former national coach, Abdul Aziz Ahmad, focused mainly on training for the athletes as early preparations for the coming championship in Penang next year and the 2011 championship in Sabah.

The athletes will follow a standard programme that will take them step-by-step towards developing their muscle mass.

The athletes’ progress will be monitored monthly.

The Sandakan Protem committee includes its Chairman, Nasar bin Ahmad, Deputy Chairman, Asmara Abdul Rahman, Secretary, Isgau Abdullah and Treasurer, Abdusamah bin Sarabi.

There are also five committee members, Kamil Kulimin, Taijol Ejim, Mohd Malsu, Francis Joseph and Sim Kapil.

ntly1

August 27th, 2009, 01:58 PM

:lol:SANDAKAN EXPERIENCES ROBUST POST-MERDEKA PROGRESS

By Haslin Gaffor Bernama - Thursday, August 27In conjunction with the Merdeka Month celebration

SANDAKAN, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Towards the tail end of the Second World War, Sandakan was the subject of intense bombing by the Australian war planes intent on pushing out the Japanese occupying forces.

Sixty-four years had passed from that episode and Sandakan, once dubbed ‘Little Hong Kong’ is experiencing robust development as a result of the nation’s independence.

The Japanese military occupied Sandakan in 1942 after which a period of severe hardship had befallen the people there. In October 1945, the 9th Division of the Australian Army arrived to liberate Sandakan.

Sandakan was the capital of British North Borneo from 1884 until 1942 before the arrival of the Japanese military.

After the Japanese surrendered, the British administration decided that Sandakan could no longer function as the state capital as it was badly devastated during the war, hence the seat of the British North Borneo administration was moved to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).

SECOND MOST DEVELOPED TOWN

Today, Sandakan has emerged into the second most developed town in Sabah and is an important economic generator in the state’s east.

After Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan has the second most key port in Sabah, dealing with the export of palm oil.

The post-Merdeka era in the town saw the development of the Sandakan Harbour Square extending right to the waterfront and the presence of hotels and business premises made this district an attraction.

Other business centres like Bandar Maju, Bandar Utama, Bandar Tyng and Bandar Labuk have mushroomed in this town. All of these indicated that Sandakan has advanced rapidly earning the tag as the most developed urban zone in the east coast of Sabah.

RETURN TO GLORY

Sabah Bumiputera Chamber of Commerce public relations officer Jorjy Juana said Sandakan’s robust growth was the result of the government’s efforts to redevelop the town after it witnessed severe destruction during the second World War.

"Despite taking a long time (for redevelopment), Sandakan has grown into the second most developed town in Sabah and is stepping towards recapturing its former glory when it was known as the ‘Little Hong Kong’ in the 1960s until 1970s".

Jorjy said if before Sandakan was known for its timber industry, now new economic sectors like the palm oil and tourism industries have turned as the new economic cakes for Sandakan.

The business community and Sandakan residents are thankful for the peace and prosperity brought about by the government, added with the government’s latest commitment in making Sandakan the education hub in Sabah.

Sandakan with the population of 368,916 made up from various ethnic groups including the Chinese, Kadazandusun, Murut, Bajau and Sungai is set to advance and develop further in the coming years.

-- BERNAMA

^^:lol: Ironically, We are still facing great electricity & water shortage & illegal immigrant problems but never mentioned at all here :lol:

khosim

August 27th, 2009, 03:34 PM

ppl always like to hear good thing only meh..hohoho

bart_shinoda

September 6th, 2009, 09:38 PM

Sukau to have township soon

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia’s poorest district, Sukau, will have a township soon.

The district with a population of 50,000 people comprising mainly of oil palm plantation workers will have the town built on a 50 hectares of land.

The ground-breaking ceremony will be conducted by Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri, said Sukau assemblyman Saddi Abdul Rahman to reporters recently.

The estimated cost for constructing the town is about RM50 million, he said.

“The people of Sukau have been waiting for this for a long time. With the establishment of the town, all of Sukau’s administrative work will be conducted by the Sukau district,” he said.

He explained that presently, all administrative works related to the district are conducted by the Sandakan and Kinabatangan Councils.

There are about 43 villages in Sukau. About 15 of the villages are under the Sandakan Municipal Council while the remaining falls under the administration of the Kinabatangan district council.

“For a long time, the people of Sukau have to travel to these two districts for any dealings they have with government departments. They also go there to purchase their daily essentials,” he said.

“The Sukau town will operate as an economic hub. Public amenities such as a health clinic, market, police station and government offices will also be located there,” he said.

During the first phase of the project, the Public Works Department will improve the road system at the town site. This will cost an estimated RM1 million, he said.

“A lot of mills and plantations are located here. Apart from that, Sukau is also one of Sabah’s major tourism attractions as an eco-tourism destination,” he said.

Sukau’s forest is famous for its wildlife. It is home to the proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants. The district also houses the Gomantong Cave which is renowned worldwide as the producer of quality edible bird’s nests.

He added that the construction of the Sukau town has been listed under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

“We hope its construction will be completed before the end of the 10MP,” he said.

TWK90

September 7th, 2009, 05:01 AM

Source : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=438474

Squatters Will Enjoy Infrastructure At New Site - Musa
SANDAKAN, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- The 118 families at Kampung Sungai Batang, Batu 10 Jalan Labuk here will be relocated to a 19 hectare site equipped with infrastructure.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the new site nearby would be equipped with roads, mosque, community hall, water and electricity supply and drainage system.

"The planned development will provide a more comfortable life to squatters who were occupying state and private land," he told reporters after presenting aid to the hardcore poor here on Sunday.

Musa said the land they vacated would be developed into an education hub to provide job opportunities to the local people.

The education hub would include the Universiti Malaysia Sabah agriculture campus, Mara Junior College (MRSM) and private colleges.

-- BERNAMA

nazrey

September 10th, 2009, 09:26 AM

NAK HOTEL - A Hotel Landmark of Sandakan
http://www.nakhotel.com/
Nak Hotel Roof Top

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3903275603_51f32a12a5_o.jpg

Sabahkid

September 11th, 2009, 06:13 AM

NAK HOTEL - A Hotel Landmark of Sandakan
http://www.nakhotel.com/
Nak Hotel Roof Top

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3903275603_51f32a12a5_o.jpg

Been there once.... very nice (except when it rains...)

cheers

arief_malaysia96

September 14th, 2009, 02:24 PM

AEON Credit gains on cash-to-credit shift

The company’s business is growing despite the economic slowdown

KUALA LUMPUR: The current economic downturn, which has put many companies in the red, seems to have an opposite effect for AEON Credit Service (M) Bhd so far.

The locally-incorporated Japanese consumer finance provider turned in a commendable performance despite the challenging environment with a 46% jump in net profit to RM48.7mil for the financial year ended Feb 20 (FY09) versus FY08 while revenue rose 23.1% to RM186.9mil.

Business also grew in the first quarter ended May 20 with an increase of 20.4% in net profit to RM12.2mil versus the previous corresponding quarter while revenue improved 21.8% to RM51.5mil.

Managing director Naruhito Kuroda expects revenue in FY10 to experience double-digit growth albeit slightly lower than the 23.1% achieved in FY09 with bottom line following the same trend.

“The trend in consumer spending has changed from cash to credit since last year and this is good, especially for our easy-payment scheme and credit card businesses.

“Our merchants have also migrated their focus or marketing strategy from cash to credit. They have recorded double-digit growth in the past few months by providing such options to consumers,” he told StarBiz.

Kuroda is also upbeat that the upcoming festive season, including Hari Raya, Christmas and Chinese New Year, will help boost the group’s business in its second half.

“The outlook for the company is good. We are very positive about our financials,” he said.

HwangDBS Vickers Research Sdn Bhd expects AEON Credit to register a 16.1% growth in net profit to RM56.6mil year-on-year in FY10.

This would be driven mainly by the recognition of interest income from new receivables of RM959mil as well as unearned interest of RM190mil carried forward from FY09.

“After registering a three-year net profit compounded annual growth rate of 53% between FY06 and FY09, AEON Credit’s future growth momentum, while still on the increase, is expected to come in slower due to the high base effect,” it noted.

Despite the focus on growing the business, Kuroda pointed out that the group was also more prudent in giving out financing to its customers in current economic conditions.

Non-performing loans (NPLs) in FY09 were 1.87% but were slightly lower at 1.85% in the first quarter ended May 20.

“Our aim is to keep NPLs below 2% and we do not expect to see any spike in the numbers.

“It should still be manageable as our easy-payment business consists of financing small-ticket items, such as consumer durables and motorcycles, with low monthly instalments ranging from RM80 to RM150 per month, so payment should still not be much of a problem,” he said.

However, Kuroda admitted that NPLs were higher for its credit card business but “was still manageable”.

AEON Credit has also put plans into gear to expand its product range. It plans to introduce new card products, such as a prepaid card and loyalty point card, next year.

“We also aim to expand the easy-payment business to include used-car financing. We have started testing the market in the Klang Valley with five used-car dealers last year.”

Financing is up to RM50,000 and total receivables for used-car financing so far is about RM2mil.

“We may be more aggressive next year once we have a better idea of NPLs, credit recovery and demand trends for such financing,” Kuroda said, adding that the group was not in direct competition with financial institutions as it focused on smaller loan amounts.

AEON-Biz, which offers product financing such as for computer systems and copiers for small and medium enterprises, is another new area for the group.

AEON Credit started the business a year ago with a financing limit of up to RM50,000.

“It is still in the testing stage but there is potential for such business. We just need to create more awareness that we are offering such financing,” Kuroda said.

Plans are also under way to open new branches in Segamat, Setiawan, Taiping, Temerloh, Sungai Petani, Sibu and Sandakan to expand its network to smaller towns and cities to cater to a wider group of consumers.

Each branch is estimated to cost RM500,000. The group plans to open two branches in FY10 and another five in FY11.

AEON Credit, which now has 125,000 credit card members, aims to grow this figure to 180,000 by FY10 and 350,000 by FY12.

It is targeting card members (credit cards, express cards, loyalty point cards and prepaid cards) to grow to over two million within three years.

Kuroda aims to achieve this via tie-ups with partners, collaboration with sister company AEON Co (M) Bhd as well as improving the benefits and services offered to customers.

AEON Co currently has a J-Card member base of about 850,000.

go SANDAKAN

ntly1

September 29th, 2009, 02:36 PM

source: Daily Express
TAR College in S'kan still under discussion

Published on: Sunday, September 27, 2009

Sandakan: The setting up of Tungku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College branch in Sabah at the Education Hub in Mile 10 here is still under discussion, said MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the proposed site, Saturday, he said he was still discussing the matter with Sabah MCA liaison chief Datuk Edward Khoo.

"He (Khoo) has already given me a briefing on the proposal for the setting up of the TAR College, so I come here to see it for myself," he said.

"After taking over as President of the party, I feel I want to continue with the proposed project," he said.

He added that TAR College, which is under the MCA management, was also looking at the higher learning institution needs of the people in Sabah in line with the demand for the State's development.

^^ I don't understand why they are still in discussion??? what are the problems? I thought it has already been confirmed!

itoyak

October 1st, 2009, 11:16 AM

source: Daily Express

^^ I don't understand why they are still in discussion??? what are the problems? I thought it has already been confirmed!

From a reliable sources....

the initial plan was to have 2 TAR campus in Sabah...1 in Sandakan and 1 in KK...the one in Sungai batang Sandakan was planned for school of agriculture...however, sources is that the land given by the government in the 1st place was 150 acres...but now has been cut down to 50 acres only......therefore they need to do more research before goinmg ahead with the plan....

The one in KK are supposed to be a city campus which offer courses such as IT and business....TAR College has been looking around KK for a suitable land to built their permanent campus...but until now in vain...the campus now they are occupying in Penampang Donggongon is temporary and still looking for a suitable land to build their permanent campus....

to know more about TAR College...please go here... http://www.tarc.edu.my:cheers:

thienzieyung

October 19th, 2009, 05:57 AM

Hi all, which is the tallest building in Sandakan? May I know, please?

Sabahkid

October 19th, 2009, 06:24 AM

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3421/skanoct2009001.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/i/skanoct2009001.jpg/)

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4060/skanoct2009002.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/skanoct2009002.jpg/)

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2215/skanoct2009015.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/i/skanoct2009015.jpg/)

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5402/skanoct2009016.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/i/skanoct2009016.jpg/)

This is the new GentingMas extention... linking the original block with 2 newly constructed overhead bridges
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7109/skanoct2009017.jpg (http://img8.imageshack.us/i/skanoct2009017.jpg/)

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3265/skanoct2009018.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/skanoct2009018.jpg/)

Sabahkid

October 19th, 2009, 06:26 AM

Hi all, which is the tallest building in Sandakan? May I know, please?

at the moment, it is Wisma khoo, about 20 sty high, but in another 2 yr or so, it will be overtaken by Sheraton at SHS, which will be about 28 sty high (no statistics in terms of metre though)...

cheers,

TWK90

October 19th, 2009, 06:49 AM

Thanks for the update, the Sheraton hotel + shopping centre is rising steadily and now we can see some floors of the shopping centre.

When i was in Sandakan back in August, i had no idea Gentingmas Mall will have an extension, although there were overhead bridges...

In a way, the shopping centre is a much needed facility in Sandakan, as most shopping experience in Sandakan, are confined to shophouses or hypermarkets.

Hopefully, this will elevate the standard of commercial retail in Sandakan.

kiko

October 19th, 2009, 07:08 AM

sandakan is well progressed..its dev almst the same like KK.keep up to bcme a city

ntly1

October 20th, 2009, 07:51 PM

source:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/41zamboanga/Article/index_html

Zamboanga, Sandakan ties now back on track

2009/10/16

KOTA KINABALU: Trade and tourism between Zamboanga in the Philippines and Sandakan in Sabah are back on track as regular flights connecting the two neighbouring cities resume today.

A Zest Air's 56-seater aircraft will depart from Zamboanga Airport at 12.45pm and arrive in Sandakan at 2.00 pm today, marking the revival of the Zamboanga-Sandakan air link which had been suspended since April last year.

The resumption of the air services is set to have a spill over effect on trade and tourism development within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMO-EAGA).

Formerly known as the Asian Spirit which used to ply the route in 2008, Zest Air will mount regular flights to Sandakan on a thrice-weekly schedule, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

"This is part of our commitment to complement government's effort in enhancing transportation connectivity in BIMP-EAGA.

"The revival of the Zamboanga-Sandakan air link will give convenience to the riding public from Mindanao and Palawan," Ken Tan, station manager of Zest Air Zamboanga.

Tan said it would cut travel time of tourists and businessmen from Mindanao who now had to go to Manila just to catch flights going to Sandakan.

Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana, chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council, lauded the reopening of the air link, saying it will again allow Mindanao to penetrate a wider market for tourism and trade. Zamboanga and Sandakan have been closely linked through the BIMP-EAGA initiative.

"This is truly a noble effort by the private sector to bring growth in the region. I expect that this development will pave the way for more enhanced cross-border linkages with our counterparts in EAGA," he said.

Zest Air started operations in 2008.

ntly1

October 20th, 2009, 07:58 PM

Zest Air

source: http://www.airliners.net

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7568/zestair1.jpg (http://img40.imageshack.us/i/zestair1.jpg/)

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3286/zestair2.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/i/zestair2.jpg/)

Sabahkid

October 21st, 2009, 04:56 AM

Caught the 1st Zest Air flight to Sandakan last Fri (16 Oct).

http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=13453

ntly1

October 21st, 2009, 02:17 PM

Sabah owes much to the Johnsons: Editor
Source: Daily Express

Published on: Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Sandakan: Pioneer Hollywood wildlife filmmakers Martin and Osa Johnson's visits to Sabah in 1920 and 1935 were monumental because their films and images helped Sabah gain an early edge as an eco-tourist destination.
"Their images of orang utans, proboscis monkeys, tarsiers and elephants in the Kinabatangan coupled with friendly tattooed natives in loin cloths were the first that western audiences saw when screened in cinemas," he said, at the launch of the historical book, "Spirit of Borneo" at Sabah Hotel on Monday night. The book was launched by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

James said unknown to Sabahans, over 2,700 of these historical images from their two visits as well as their 1937 film "Borneo" would have remained tucked away in the museum named after them in Kansas in the American mid-west.

However, Daily Express managed to secure the Martin and Osa Johnson Museum's permission to release several hundred of these images for publication in the commemorative book. The museum consented on condition that the book is not for commercial sale but for charity, among others.

James also paid tribute to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman for realising the significance of these images and ensuring that Sabahans would be able to see them as part of understanding the State's unique history.

Describing Musa as visionary as otherwise it may have remained just a proposal and a dream if not for the CM's strong encouragement, he said it was fitting that the focus of the book was Sandakan, which was the pre-war State Capital and the CM's State constituency.

"When it was suggested that this event be held in Kota Kinabalu, the CM objected. It shows the great importance he attaches to Sandakan and rightly so."

A central theme running through the images are those of happy natives and foreigners alike going about their tasks in harmony with one another in Sandakan.

James said through their images, the Johnsons were able to project Sabah to a larger audience worldwide "and in my opinion, one that probably surpasses what Agnes Keith's books could possibly do."

He said although Agnes Keith did much in promoting Sabah to the outside world through her classic "Land Below The Wind", the Johnsons did even more.

"A picture tells a thousand words and the Johnsons not only had the pictures taken by state-of-the art equipment they brought with them but also wrote about what they saw and experienced."

Fortunately, he said, their ground-breaking work did not remain unnoticed forever, even though the over 3,000 images that the Johnsons left with the colonial administration were destroyed during the Second World war.

He attributed the loss of these photographs for the near-total ignorance about the Johnsons and their contribution to Sabah.

Fortunately the originals survived in the US museum, although it still cannot account for two Johnsons pictures, namely their 1920 hit "Jungle Calling" and "Jungle Depths of Borneo."

He said secondly, as a couple and being childless, they were willing to go to places where even colonial officials would rather not or rarely went.

"The Johnsons penetrated these areas like Abai deep into the Kinabatangan and captured images of the areas, the people and wildlife. The colonial officials like DOs and ADOs would not have been able to do so because they had no cameras."

If fact, the colonial administration welcomed them because they also wanted to document the people, wildlife, flora, etc, for their own records "but lacked the proper equipment and expertise."

"Hence, the Johnsons were accorded every assistance, including porters and armed escorts, as they went to the interior of Kinabatangan."

Thirdly, James said because the Johnsons were pioneers in their line of work, they managed to record high quality pictures.

"In fact some of the Johnsons images like Sandakan natives and proboscis monkey were converted into stamps."

On how he came to learn about the Johnsons and their work, James said back in 2000, when the State Government decided to restore the Agnes Keith museum, he was invited to be part of the Sabah Museum team.

"In the course of my research, I found out that the Johnsons visited the Keiths during their 1935 expedition. In fact, Agnes devoted an entire chapter in Land Below The Wind to describing the Johnsons."

The night also saw Masri Angau, in his 80s today but a lad of about 10 during the Johnsons' 1935 visit, being introduced to the audience. A picture of him leading Martin Johnson across a bamboo bridge was shown.

Similarly introduced was Norlika bt Logan, a daughter of Logan who was an interpreter and guide to the Johnsons.

James also acknowledged Jacky Borgeson and the Museum's Director Conrad Froelich for kindly loaning the use of the pictures for this book.

"I sincerely hope this will be the start of a long term partnership for other related work in the years to come," he said, while also thanking Irah Communications, a Kuala Lumpur-based publisher of quality coffeetable books for their creative input.

jhunix

October 21st, 2009, 10:31 PM

Malay investors eye
trade between Sabah, Davao

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1637/10212009.gif (http://img10.imageshack.us/i/10212009.gif/)
INVESTORS. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte meets with Malaysian investors Badaruddin Ismail and HJ Faisal Mohammad who are interested in operating a passenger-cargo vessel from Sandakan to Davao City. The two paid a courtesy call on the mayor on Monday afternoon. BING GONZALES

MB Sophia, the first passenger-cargo vessel that would sail Davao-Sandakan is seen to boom trading between Philippines and Malaysia.

Malaysian investors Badaruddin Ismail and HJ Faisal Mohammad of D’Sophia International Shipping Line visited the city October 19 to check the area and start the legal procedures to pave the way for the operation set on the first week of December.

“We are set to sail the 780 passenger vessel after complying the necessary requirements needed in this business,” said Ismail.

Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte, during his meeting with the investors, assured the latter that the city has a business-friendly environment where they could expect fast processing of business permit applications.

“We hope to see the start of this investment as soon as possible,” Duterte said.

The investors expect a lot of products from Davao that may be exported to Sabah the same way that the latter has also plenty of consumer goods that may be exported to Davao.

Ismail is interested of investing on petroleum products while Mohammad is eyeing the real estate sector.

Meanwhile, MB Sophia is expected to open trading for consumer goods like rice, sugar, cooking oil, noodles, etc.

“We see a very huge market here in Davao plus the fact that security wise, the city is definitely safe for foreign investors,” said Ismail.

The vessel opens trading as well as tourism opportunities for both countries. MB Sophia, bigger in size than Super Ferry, can accommodate more than 700 passengers. It allows fast travel from Davao to Sandakan in only 25 hours.

Both investors are currently negotiating with local businessmen potential to do trading with them. PIA

Mindanao Daily Mirror (http://www.dailymirror.ph/)

ntly1

October 26th, 2009, 03:57 PM

source:http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/151792-malaysia-and-singapore-extend-air-pact.html

Malaysia and Singapore extend air pact Written

by Isabelle Francis
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 10:48

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed on a new agreement that grants both countries’ carriers the right to fly passengers between six new destinations in Malaysia and Singapore.

In a statement on Monday, Singapore’s ministry of transport said under the deal, Malaysian airlines would have the traffic rights to operate 28 weekly passenger services. Today, MALAYSIAN AIRLINE SYSTEM BHD [] and budget carrier AIRASIA BHD [] both fly to Singapore.

Under the new agreement, Singapore carriers would operate 42 weekly passenger services each to Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Langkawi.

The airlines would also operate 28 weekly passenger services each to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Melaka, Miri, Sandakan and Tawau.

The ministry said the same entitlements were accorded to the Malaysian carriers.

It noted that the new agreement followed air services consultations held in Kuching, Sarawak, for an expansion of the bilateral air services agreement between both countries. Singapore and Malaysia had also discussed the exchange of cargo traffic rights.

The ministry said carriers of both countries would now have unlimited rights to operate any number of cargo services to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and all the particular Malaysian points.

To date, Singapore carriers are allowed to operate 21 weekly services to Ipoh, 38 weekly services to Kota Kinabalu, 35 weekly services to Kuching and 27 weekly passenger services to Langkawi. The airlines would also operate 14 weekly services each to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Melaka, Miri, Sandakan and Tawau.

I am eagerly waiting to see this happen soon !! Singapore <--> Sandakan :banana:

ntly1

October 26th, 2009, 04:06 PM

source:http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/152014-green-packets-wimax-coup-in-singapore.html

Green Packet’s WiMAX coup in Singapore

Written by Yong Yen Nie
Friday, 23 October 2009 11:23

KUALA LUMPUR: GREEN PACKET BHD [] (GPB) is set to secure a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) broadband licence in Singapore, making it the first Malaysian company to directly hold such a licence in the city-state.
..............
..............
.............

P1 is seen to be expanding its services aggressively in Malaysia as well. Last week, it was reported that P1 had obtained approval to provide WiMAX broadband in East Malaysia, where only REDTONE INTERNATIONAL BHD [] had been operating.

GPB said the P1 WiMAX rollout would “begin simultaneously in Sabah and Sarawak” and cities such as Kuching, Miri, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau would be able to enjoy the broadband service “as early as the second quarter”.

GPB said P1 currently ranked among the top five WiMAX operators in the world in terms of network size and subscriber base.

^^
this may help to improve broadband services in Sdk.

gintak007

October 30th, 2009, 03:36 AM

I have visited Sandakan last month, Bandar Indah to have a nice dinner at a Philipino restaurant ran by a philipino chinese. I like this Bandar Indah whereby they have a lot of different country restaurants opned there.

Same thing I want to comment is the basic infrastructure in Sandakan must be improved like public utility and roads.

I had visited Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau, every flight that I took sure have foreign tourists.

What a good sign for Sabah tourism market huh.

Sabah is still the BEST in Malaysia.

dekechemist

November 5th, 2009, 07:00 PM

The things I don't like about Sandakan

1. Flocked with pilax (if you're Sabahan you should know)
2. Unreasonable traffic light establishments - too much of them in the CBD area and it doesn't help the traffic flow at all
3. Many of the satellite towns name is dull and doesn't reflect the locality e.g bandar indah, bandar permai, bandar putera jaya. Is it hard for them to come up with something genuine and native.
4. If they want to become city soon, the town council should make efforts to at least do something to improve the city in many ways, showing the state/federal government that they really want a city status.

What I like

1. The hawkers/vendor in the grand market are very friendly.
2. Its hilly, green spots are still surround the city
3. Overall, its a very laid back city

Sabahkid

November 11th, 2009, 04:01 AM

Secret Recipe - now opens at Bandar Indah

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7605/secretrecipeoct2009001.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/1831/secretrecipeoct2009002.jpg

Sabahkid

November 11th, 2009, 04:08 AM

Caught MasWings' "Sandakan" in action at Sandakan airport

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/5441/sinoct2009014.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/sinoct2009014.jpg/)

gintak007

November 11th, 2009, 04:26 AM

Sandakan supply the BEST food in town. Hope there will be more international flight connect to Sandakan like from Hong Kong and Manila.

TWK90

November 11th, 2009, 09:32 AM

Secret Recipe - now opens at Bandar Indah

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7605/secretrecipeoct2009001.jpg

Now that there is Secret Recipe, is that the first shop to operate from the latest part of Bandar Indah?

ntly1

November 11th, 2009, 02:09 PM

Sandakan supply the BEST food in town. Hope there will be more international flight connect to Sandakan like from Hong Kong and Manila.

^^ I hope soon it will start flight to Singapore soon. anyone know what is the status of upgrading Sandakan Airport project? it seems no progress so far?

Glad to see secret recipe is open finally!! hopefully to see some more other franchises will follow suit. :) pity to our town!! no one wants to go there.

gintak007

November 17th, 2009, 07:11 AM

Sandakan need more (at least 2-3) shopping mall and 5-star hotel based on their population about half a million.

Hope the Sandakan Harbour Square speed up their work to complete it asap. There will be more international fast food chains to open up in Sandakan. I believe Coffee Bean, San Franscisco, Dome and Starbuck will open in Sandakan soon when the shopping mall is completed.

simon87

November 18th, 2009, 03:16 PM

nazrey

November 19th, 2009, 07:21 AM

WiMAX coverage for S'kan, Tawau soon
Published on: Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Kota Kinabalu: REDtone's WiMAX coverage is expected to extend to Sandakan and Tawau by the first quarter of next year.

REDtone Telecommunications Sdn Bhd chief executive officer, Lau Bik Soon, said the company chose the two places owing to their population demographics with Sandakan ranking second and Tawau third in terms of people in Sabah.

The company's WiMAX business strategy is to go where there is already a demand for its service, he said, adding that big population numbers are a boon for business.

"This strategy provides us with an income straightaway rather than putting up the facilities and then waiting for customers to sign up," said Lau during a press conference here Tuesday.

Besides that, the REDtone WiMAX coverage is also expected to be further extended to the Penampang and Inanam areas by the end of this month.

REDtone's broadband WiMAX service is now available in the greater part of Kota Kinabalu encompassing commercial centres, industrial parks, business districts and shopping centres.

According him, REDtone currently has more than 1,000 business broadband customers in Sabah.

REDtone also aims to introduce a package for home users next month to cater to both light and heavy users.

Those interested to apply for REDtone's broadband services can contact 1800879900.

Sabahkid

November 23rd, 2009, 12:25 AM

^^ I hope soon it will start flight to Singapore soon. anyone know what is the status of upgrading Sandakan Airport project? it seems no progress so far?

Glad to see secret recipe is open finally!! hopefully to see some more other franchises will follow suit. :) pity to our town!! no one wants to go there.

Not much news about the airport upgrading. But i would rather they spend some effort and money to attract new flights to Sandakan, like to S'pore or Hong Kong etc..... when the airport becomes busier, the pressure for upgrading will come automatically.

nazrey

November 23rd, 2009, 05:08 AM

Sandakan city bus in two to three years
23rd November, 2009

SANDAKAN: The proposed city bus service for this east coast town will not be implemented in the next two to three years.

“The traffic situation in Sandakan is still alright compared to the State Capital and thus it is not necessary to introduce it (city bus service) here for some time,” State Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Edmund Chong Ket Wah disclosed when officiating the Sandakan Mini Bus Operators Association Annual General Meeting yesterday.

The announcement drew applause from the delighted committee members attending the AGM at the Sandakan Library multi-purpose hall following a request made by chairman Osman Ahmad in his welcoming speech.

The mini bus operators were concerned their livelihood would be affected should the authorities in Sandakan proceed to implement the city bus service similar to that in Kota Kinabalu.

Chong also took the opportunity to advise mini bus drivers to maintain discipline and drive in an orderly manner when on the road.

“Do not drive with excessive speed, be considerate to other road users by not stopping your vehicles indiscriminately. Always ensure the vehicles are in good condition and constantly undergo vehicular inspections as the safety of passengers must be given top priority,” Chong said.

Chong called on mini bus operators to co-operate with the government in implementing policies and guidelines on the age limit of public transport and colour codes for vehicles, in order to improve the public transport in the country for the benefit of both the operators and passengers.

The Batu Sapi Member of Parliament also warned that he would not tolerate corruption among State CVLB officers and vowed to take stern action against the culprits.

“Please report any hanky panky involving my officers and I will personally see to it that they will face the necessary punishment.

“I have advised my officers not to entertain applications submitted through middlemen and hope Puspakom and Road Transport Department (RTD) will do likewise too. Applicants or vehicle owners must be present personally when dealing with our officers,” Chong continued.

He reassured that his priority was to look after the interest of the mini bus operators.

He added that he would not hesitate to revoke the permit of vehicle owners who hired foreigners instead of locals.

“I have received complaints of mini bus operators in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan employing foreigners. Each time there is a roadblock by the RTD or CVLB, these foreigners will abandon the vehicles by the roadside and flee,” Chong said.

Chong said he would reward RM100 with his own money to anyone with information on operators hiring foreigners.

“I will seriously look into the matter and cancel the permits of the culprits. Give the locals these job opportunities and not the foreigners,” he said.

Meanwhile Sandakan Puspakom officer Mohd Hanafi Abdul Harris announced that a new directive issued by the State RTD with immediate effect which resume all commercial vehicle owners to furnish an original plan when sending their vehicles to Puspakom for inspections.

“If they do not have the original plan, then a photocopy certified by the Road Transport Department is also acceptable,” Mohd Hanafi added.

Mohd Hanafi also reminded commercial vehicle owners to make sure their vehicles are in good condition before sending them to Puspakom for inspection.

“Please ensure everything is in order before you come to us because I have come across cases where the lights and doors were coming off,” he said.

Sabahkid

November 23rd, 2009, 06:18 AM

gintak007

November 23rd, 2009, 09:34 AM

Why not implement the City Bus service in Sandakan now rather than rely on the OLD AND DIRTY minibus mostly driven by the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT - Bugis, Java, philipine suluk and bajau?

I had tried and experienced to take few times the mini bus from town to Bandar Indah, I saw the driver and some ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS smoking inside the bus during the journey. :ohno:

Vote the evil gomen out. We don't need such incompetent and retarded gomen when ONLY THING GET WORST, they will just start planning and it MIGHT take 5 years and then after 10 years or more to implement. :bash:

thienzieyung

November 23rd, 2009, 02:10 PM

ericcraig2

November 23rd, 2009, 02:38 PM

I'v been noticing this sign board near the English Tea House:

Is it actually 100 or 1000 steps? And the sign board has bahasa rojak. :lol:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/3039172117_1efcddd871_b.jpg

To bandar???? hahahaha..... how come the Majlis Perbandaran Sandakan can approved that??

Sabahkid

November 24th, 2009, 01:38 AM

To bandar???? hahahaha..... how come the Majlis Perbandaran Sandakan can approved that??

haha... welcome to M'sia - the origin of rojak??
1st, they wanna to erect the sign for the convenince of tourists, then they can't put up a pure english sign 'cos they need to show what's the national language is..... n finally, they r too lazy to put up a proper dual-language sign haha....

Sabahkid

November 24th, 2009, 01:47 AM

Latest from SHS

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7923/img1470.jpg (http://img687.imageshack.us/i/img1470.jpg/)

ericcraig2

November 25th, 2009, 10:42 PM

haha... welcome to M'sia - the origin of rojak??
1st, they wanna to erect the sign for the convenince of tourists, then they can't put up a pure english sign 'cos they need to show what's the national language is..... n finally, they r too lazy to put up a proper dual-language sign haha....

oomaaiiigottt......

Sabahkid

November 27th, 2009, 01:14 AM

Sandakan will be hosting the National Under 18 basketball championship next month..... http://maba.malaysia-basketball.com/

The main venue, the community hall at Jalan Leila is being upgraded/renovated for the competition..... and the finally get rid of that old basketball rings!!

nazrey

November 29th, 2009, 02:43 PM

From flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4123941134_0185a471b3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2794/4123941844_31b1231886_o.jpg

thienzieyung

November 29th, 2009, 03:20 PM

Is that people a PTI? Sit also don't know how.:ohno:

nazrey

November 29th, 2009, 04:02 PM

From flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4018724545_3aeee02e8a_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2582/4000568886_c28303cc64_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3923030790_03c4f2210c_o.jpg

nazrey

December 1st, 2009, 07:02 AM

Sandakan’s eco-camp launched to support eco-tourism
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

http://www.theborneopost.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/0000506298.JPG

LAUNCHED: Masidi signs the plaque to mark TREC’s opening
witnessed by Mannan (fifth left) and Wahiruddin (fourth left).

SANDAKAN: A community project to provide eco-tourism opportunities for the local community to build a sustainable future was launched yesterday.

The Tungog Rainforest Eco-camp at Pin Supu Forest Reserve at Batu Putih-Kinabatangan, which was launched by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, forms part of the wider sustainable tourism project initiated by WWF-Malaysia, known as Model Ecologically Sustainable Community Tourism (Mescot).

It has direct participation by the local Batu Puteh community, which established a community-run cooperative, Kopel (Koperasi Pelancongan) to promote eco-tourism activities since 1997.

The eco-camp, nestled next to a pristine ox-bow lake some 10 minutes from the Batu Puteh jetty, is expected to provide a sustainable livelihood for some 100 young people of Batu Puteh who are members of Kopel, a community-run cooperative initiated for this tourism-related venture.

It can accommodate up to 30 guests at any one time to stay and live in harmony with the surrounding forest environment.

The eco-camp concept involves providing a place to stay within the natural forest environment, with a particular focus on nature education, eco-tourism and research.

Local youths, as partners of the project, will be able to share the knowledge of the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area with the local and foreign visitors.

While Mescot launched a series of successful eco-tourism initiatives, including a home stay programme, handicraft cottage industry, boat and guide service, the Tungog eco-camp is expected to accelerate the transformation of economic activities among members of Kopel in the near and long term.

As a platform to monitor, learn about and take care of the surrounding forests of the Lower Kinabatangan Floodplain, the Tungog Rainforest Eco-Camp is raising the bar for tourism development to be more ecologically sustainable as well as provide meaningful participation and benefits to local communities.

The multi-stakeholder approaches on handling conservation and economic development will ensure a sustainable future for the targeted population.

Designed jointly by local youths utilizing the latest eco-friendly design principles and eco-technology, the eco-camp was constructed and will be operated with minimal impact to the surrounding environment.

During construction, there was no felling of trees for the construction of the camp and the buildings situated between the existing vegetation on site.

Construction materials were derived from natural products and sourced from nearby villages.

Other basic eco-design principles included minimising energy and water usage.

Recycling will also feature prominently in products and equipment used at the camp.

Present at the launching were Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan, KOPEL chairman Mohd Hasim Abd Hamid, Shell Malaysia General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Datuk Wahiruddin Abdul Wahid, local dignitaries and representatives from WWF-Malaysia, Raleigh International and non-governmental organisa-tions.

At the ceremony, Wahiruddin presented a cheque for RM40,000 to Mohd Hasim for the final portion of the Shell funding for the project.

“We are pleased to partner WWF-Malaysia, Raleigh International and the KOPEL in this capacity building project which we hope will benefit the community here. This project is aligned with Shell Malaysia’s core value on helping people build a better world for themselves on a sustained basis,” he said.

“We are also confident that it will further enhance the conservation of biodiversity and wildlife of the Kinabatangan flood plain,” he added.

Shell Malaysia provided KOPEL with a seed grant of RM220,000 when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2002 along with WWF-Malaysia and Raleigh International.

This funding provided financial support for the development of the eco-camp and its associated structures.

Meanwhile, WWF-Malaysia and Raleigh International provided administrative and management expertise to the project.

nazrey

December 4th, 2009, 03:11 PM

Eight 10MW generator sets installed in Sandakan
Published: Friday December 4, 2009 MYT 6:07:00 PM

SANDAKAN: Eight sets of 10MW generators have been installed here to overcome power shortage on the Sabah east coast.

Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) said in a statement here Friday that the generator sets were installed in SimSim and will be fully operational on Monday.

The installation of additional generator sets in Sandakan was just an interim measure by SESB to address power shortage in the district, the statement added.

SESB had installed seven sets of 10MW generators under the first phase on Oct 6. - Bernama

Sabahkid

December 9th, 2009, 04:54 AM

The great ape of Borneo by the National Geographic, tonight at 9.30pm on Astro, featuring Michelle Yeoh at Sepilok & Kinabatangan.

cheers

January 2nd, 2010, 11:21 AM

The great ape of Borneo by the National Geographic, tonight at 9.30pm on Astro, featuring Michelle Yeoh at Sepilok & Kinabatangan.

cheers

missed it...
can't wait to go back during CNY to see the city!

nazrey

January 7th, 2010, 09:20 AM

New budget hotel opens for business in Sandakan
7th January, 2010

SANDAKAN: Winho Lodge located strategically in the heart of town is one of the many budget hotels that recently opened for business in Sandakan, popularly known as gateway to Sabah’s ecotourism, following the increase in tourist arrivals over the years.

Tourism statistics showed tourist arrivals in the State increased by 20 per cent annually in the last 10 years with about 40 per cent of them were repeat arrivals. The influx of tourists to the State and Sandakan has seen a rise in the demand for hotels in this east coast town.

Winho Lodge has 23 rooms to cater for guests ranging from individuals to family, small and big groups or budget travellers. The Lodge’s Single, Double and Family rooms, and Dorms with double-decker beds, are available at affordable prices and can accommodate up to 70 guests.

Other facilities include air-conditioning rooms, 18 rooms with attached toilets, CCTV security system, satellite TV, security guards on duty from 7pm to 7am, 24-hour reception, free internet and Wi Fi.

The Lodge is located conveniently in the busy Jalan Dua with public transportation, malls and shops all within walking distance. The town’s new landmark Sandakan Harbour Square is only a stone’s throw away.

For those planning on visiting Sandakan, Winho Lodge offers clean, affordable, spacious, comfort accommodation. Check out the hotel’s website at www.winholodge.com for more details or call +6089 212310 or email winholodge@yahoo.com.

Winho Lodge was officially opened by State Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah on 27 June 2008.

Sabahkid

January 13th, 2010, 06:29 AM

missed it...
can't wait to go back during CNY to see the city!

Let me give u an advanced "preview" then haha.......

Views of the city centre from Balin Roof Bar

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/7785/img4927o.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/img4927o.jpg/)

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9624/img4926.jpg (http://img707.imageshack.us/i/img4926.jpg/)

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7812/img4947z.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/img4947z.jpg/)

Sabahkid

January 13th, 2010, 06:33 AM

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8624/img4973w.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/img4973w.jpg/)

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/5909/img4971l.jpg (http://img63.imageshack.us/i/img4971l.jpg/)

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5699/img4974g.jpg (http://img707.imageshack.us/i/img4974g.jpg/)

Sabahkid

January 13th, 2010, 06:41 AM

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9890/img4959f.jpg (http://img43.imageshack.us/i/img4959f.jpg/)

Sabahkid

January 13th, 2010, 07:00 AM

Sandakan airport viewed from Jalan Sungai Kayu

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/9340/img4966n.jpg (http://img407.imageshack.us/i/img4966n.jpg/)

Aerial views of the airport and surrounding

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/5085/img4993b.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/i/img4993b.jpg/)

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/3200/img4992r.jpg (http://img33.imageshack.us/i/img4992r.jpg/)

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/6389/img4996e.jpg (http://img33.imageshack.us/i/img4996e.jpg/)

Aerial views of Jalan Labuk, near Batu 8. Notice the new reclaimation for the Sandakan POIC near the top of the last photo.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/4620/img4998l.jpg (http://img407.imageshack.us/i/img4998l.jpg/)

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/439/img4999n.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/i/img4999n.jpg/)

ntly1

January 13th, 2010, 01:57 PM

^^ Thanks for those photos!! can't wait to go back Sandakan for a long break!! :)

TWK90

January 13th, 2010, 06:16 PM

It is good to see the SHS complex beginning to take shape and beginning to form part of Sandakan townscape....i hope it would top out (reach top floor) by this year :D

Sabahkid

January 15th, 2010, 05:17 AM

After basketball, the national under-16 hockey championship is coming to Sandakan in March, to be held at the newly completed Sibuga hockey stadium.

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2010/1/13/sports/5456685&sec=sports

nazrey

January 15th, 2010, 08:17 AM

Power supply improves in Sandakan
15th January, 2010

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/mediafiles/picture/7683/1501-power-14.jpg?1263531189

Razak briefing Chin (left) on the operations at the distribution substation

SANDAKAN: Power supply in the district has gradually improved following the commissioning of 15 mobile generators towards end of last year.

The mobile generators with a total capacity of 20 MW were installed at the main distribution substation (PPU) in Sim Sim at a cost of RM 25 million between October 15 and December 7.

And, mobile generators with a similar capacity were also installed in the west coast and Tawau as a temporary solution to the power generation problem caused by the frequent breakdowns to the existing aging machines.

“The federal government and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) decided to take immediate action to address the interruptions occurring in October and November last year,” Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui told reporters after visiting the SESB main distribution substation housing the 15 mobile generators in Sim Sim on Thursday.

He said the use of mobile generators is part of the short-term measure undertaken by SESB to provide a more stable power supply to consumers in the state.

Chin added that SESB would be able to resolve many of the interruptions and that consumers in Sabah could expect better electricity supply by 2014 with the commissioning of two new Independent Power Producers in the west coast and the construction of the coal fired power plant in FELDA Sahabat, Tungku.

“The three facilities together with existing machines can generate a total capacity 700 MW four years from now,” the Minister said.

And, according to him, Sabah would have another 300 MW by 2017 when the Liwagu and Upper Padas Hydroelectric projects are implemented.

“This brings the total capacity to 1,000 MW which should be more than enough to meet the maximum demand of 720 MW by consumers in the state.

“We have to implement long-term measures to cater for the growing demand for power supply in Sabah and we are also encouraging the use of empty fruit bunches by palm oil mills to generate power,” Chin said.

He believed that with the introduction of biomass fuel, SESB could generate electricity into the future.

“The people of Sabah must understand that the federal government and SESB have to implement these measures as there is a need to provide enough electricity.

“The breakdown of old machines, among others, contributed to last year’s frequent interruptions ,” Chin said.

The minister was accompanied by his deputy Noriah Kasnon, SESB senior general manager for operations Razak Salim, Sandakan Municipal Council president James Wong, Batu Sapi Member of Parliament Datuk Edmund Chong, Elopura Assemblyman Au Kam Wah, senior officials from the ministry and SESB during his visit.

ntly1

January 27th, 2010, 10:18 PM

Source: flickr.com

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5061/sandakan2.jpg (http://img229.imageshack.us/i/sandakan2.jpg/)

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/4580/sandakan3.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/i/sandakan3.jpg/)

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4373/sandakan4.jpg (http://img191.imageshack.us/i/sandakan4.jpg/)

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/8946/sandakan1.jpg (http://img718.imageshack.us/i/sandakan1.jpg/)

TWK90

January 28th, 2010, 11:21 AM

ntly1

January 28th, 2010, 04:40 PM

^^..Ya, they should have a bus option for people to travel between Airport and town. Personally i have not heard of any news about the upgrading of the airport after they announced it in the newspaper last time. I think almost a year ago!!:ohno:..plain talking only & no action at all :lol:!!

ntly1

January 28th, 2010, 09:24 PM

Sandakan based rugby team Borneo Eagles wins an international rugby event in Australia! Congratulations ...:cheers:

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/2391/borneoeagles.jpg (http://img685.imageshack.us/i/borneoeagles.jpg/)

source:http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=138417

Fijians fall in Darwin quarters
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

UNFANCIED Borneo Eagles from Malaysia stunned the leading contenders at the Hottest Sevens in Darwin last weekend by romping to the main title at Austar Park.

The Eagles, sixth seeds for the weekend, shocked Samurai International 36-21 in the final claiming the $23,000 (AUD) winner's cheque in the process.

The winners caused a major upset in the semi-finals knocking out Wakimbizi Sevens (Kenya) 19-14 courtesy of a golden point in extra time in a nail-biter.

Samurai dispatched top seeds South Sea Drifters 33-7 in the other semi-final to continue the series of upsets that were a feature of an ultra-competitive weekend of Sevens.

Borneo set their stall out to be as aggressive as possible in the main final in an attempt to disrupt the free flowing Samurai. The tactic paid dividends with the Eagles converting their territorial advantage with three early tries to race into a 19-0 lead.

Samurai pulled two tries back before the half but three runaway Borneo tries in the second half killed off their hopes to taking the title. Rocky Kahn was the standout man for the Sandaken based outfit with an impressive brace.

The Eagles have become the standard-bearers of the Malaysian state of Sabah and in partnership with the Sandakan Rugby Union, the Eagles help develop and promote rugby as a community service in the region.

Australia playing as the Aussie Spirit, were caught off guard at the quarter-final stage by Samurai in a surprising 29-10 loss.

The Aussies preparations for the next leg of the IRB Sevens World Series in Wellington (5-6 Feb) also took a huge hit with major injuires to Shaun Foley (broken ankle) and Brian Sefania (foot fracture). They were also without inspirational captain Patrick McCutcheon, who was watching from the stands with a groin strain.

In the other quarter-finals Wakimbizi Sevens edged Davetalevu (26-21), Borneo started their triumphant march to the title with a 24-14 win over Tugerranong Vikings, whilst 2009 runners-up the Drifters beat Randwick (36-7). Randwick's Galloping Greens had in fact been the standout team on day 1 of the competition with the Sydney side taking down the Kenyans 17-0.

They also beat the NT Mosquitoes 29-12 and the Country King Browns 33-7 to top Pool B. The Tuggeranong Vikings also shocked the Drifters, holding the two-time champions to a 19-all draw in Pool A. Fourth and fifth seeds Davetalevu and ULR

Samurai played a 24-all draw in Pool D, with the Fijians finishing top of the table. Aussie Spirit, won all three of its games to top Pool C and were the only side to beat Borneo throughout the weekend.

Sabahkid

January 28th, 2010, 09:52 PM

Good to see the Harbour Mall progress, but i am a bit worried of the future traffic condition, considering this shall be the first mall in Sandakan, naturally, you have more crowds going to the mall on weekends....i wonder how the traffic will be like...

Still, i would hope for proper public transport in Sandakan, for example improved bus service, from airport to the town and also within the urban area of Sandakan...so that tourists will have another option to travel from the airport, apart from the taxi.

I wonder what is the status of the proposed airport upgrade in Sandakan?

No much update regarding the airport upgrade, will not be surprise if it suddenly happens just before the next election is due. Anyway, I'm still of the opinion that we must spend more effort and resources to lure more airlines or more routes to serve Sandakan, rather than just upgrade the airport and hope people will start flying in......

It looks good to be able to connect to big time destinations like S'pore, HongKong or even Australian cities, but we must also get connected to all those "not so developed" cities in the EAGA region, like Tarakan, Santos City, Davao, Kota Samarinda etc..... if we can get people in this cities to transit at our airport thru better connection, we will definitely do better.

cheers,

Sabahkid

February 21st, 2010, 06:03 AM

3rd tower crane is up for the upper floors of the hotel. Few photos here taken from the central market.

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5405/shs1.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/i/shs1.jpg/)

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/605/shs2v.jpg (http://img132.imageshack.us/i/shs2v.jpg/)

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6313/shs3.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/shs3.jpg/)

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/4615/shs4.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/i/shs4.jpg/)

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9951/shs5i.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/i/shs5i.jpg/)

Sabahkid

February 21st, 2010, 06:10 AM

One Avenue Shopping Mall at Bandar Utama, scheduled to commence construction 2nd half of this year. Will be one of the largest shopping mall in Sandakan.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7738/1ave.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/i/1ave.jpg/)

Sabahkid

February 21st, 2010, 06:14 AM

The office tower at Bandar Indah junction....... progress is slow but at least the cladding is up now.

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6939/indah2.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/i/indah2.jpg/)

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5487/indah.jpg (http://img42.imageshack.us/i/indah.jpg/)

TWK90

February 21st, 2010, 06:42 AM

Two shopping centres in Sandakan, looks like both with different styles.

Sandakan Harbour Square Mall = Urban shopping centre.

One Avenue = suburban / neighbourhood shopping centre.

tuaran2010

February 24th, 2010, 06:52 AM

Sabahkid

February 24th, 2010, 08:48 AM

We have a CM from Sandakan. Why can't he fighting for the Sandakan folks to build an international airport. To build an new international airport in Sandakan is more strategic than any other towns in East Msia.

If the present gomen cannot do, let the next gomen to build it in 3 years time.

If he builds the international airport now, what is he going to say when the next election comes by? haha......... it doesn't matter where all these minister are from.... semua pun sama......

tuaran2010

February 24th, 2010, 09:15 AM

If he builds the international airport now, what is he going to say when the next election comes by? haha......... it doesn't matter where all these minister are from.... semua pun sama......

The problem is this sandakan CM already here for 2nd term now ...

If he and his party can't deliver, let the other to take over not only to build an international airport for Sandakan, to bring in more foreign Uni to setup in Sandakan like MIT, Monash, UNSW and etc ...

Sabahkid

February 24th, 2010, 09:21 PM

you are not wrong..... but you must also realise that many in Sabah still belong to the category of low education, low income.... basically they care very little to the long term prospect, but is fighting on day to day basis for survival. Our ministers only know how to "tackle" these majority.

tuaran2010

February 25th, 2010, 03:14 AM

Thats why we need a competence and reliance new government to bring Sabah to progress to a higher level.

Its already 46 years of independent for Sabah.

Shenzen only need 10-15 years to become a BIG CITY (5 times bigger than KL) from a small village with 500 population.

Sabahkid

February 25th, 2010, 09:38 PM

then we got to 1st teach the people how to recognise a competent govt. You will be surprise that many are actually happy with the performance of the current govt.... which is absolutely crap.

tuaran2010

March 1st, 2010, 02:37 AM

Never be too late mate.

Nowadays most of the youngsters are educated and can access to internet to get more reliable news instead to rely solely on MSM which always sided the evil umno.

There are 35-40% of Sabahans never go to vote in last election. Please tell them to register and vote in the coming GE for the better future of Sabah.

We want to see Sabah oneday will catch up with Singapore and Hong Kong. :)

Sabahkid

March 2nd, 2010, 08:20 AM

Check out the new updates from Google Earth for Sandakan. Some of the new features include:

1) the new northern ring road & Jalan Airport
2) the new low cost housing estate under construction near mile 8, off Jalan Labuk
3) site clearing for the education hub at Jalan Batang
4) the new hockey pitch, lawn bowl & newly upgraded running track at Sibuga Sport Complex
5) SHS - completed phase 2 & 3, and the mall and hotel are under construction
6) the new shop rows at Secret Recipe + the office tower
7) there is this new construction site off Jalan Army Camp at Mile 7, i think it could be the new Khimat Negara camp site.

cheers

tuaran2010

March 2nd, 2010, 10:03 AM

I will pay a visit to Sandakan@Little Hong Kong this week to see the progress myself of Water Front Development.

Sabahkid

March 2nd, 2010, 11:59 AM

I will pay a visit to Sandakan@Little Hong Kong this week to see the progress myself of Water Front Development.

Hope you enjoy urself..... take some photos for us.....

cheers

rizalhakim

March 16th, 2010, 09:52 AM

sandakan mall

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_01.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_02.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_03.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_04.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_05.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_06.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sandakan_mall/sandakan_07.jpg

hallufila

March 16th, 2010, 01:26 PM

cumelnye building nih!

AFL

March 16th, 2010, 02:18 PM

I only been to Sandakan once (in 1997), but the atmosphere was like in KK. I love to see the airport upgraded.

achkeen10

March 16th, 2010, 02:50 PM

did i see get Parkson n GSC in the mall design??
is it true??

Sabahkid

March 17th, 2010, 08:39 AM

did i see get Parkson n GSC in the mall design??
is it true??

how can they put others' brand on their plans/pictures if it is not true? That will be a infringement of IP right i guess......

tuaran2010

March 17th, 2010, 01:56 PM

Sandakan airport need to rebuild - a new one. The current one hard to expand due to no more space and surronded by all the squatters

Sabahkid

March 18th, 2010, 12:49 AM

Sandakan airport need to rebuild - a new one. The current one hard to expand due to no more space and surronded by all the squatters

Why do we have to move our airport because of the illegal squatter instead of moving the squatter for our airport?

Actually the biggest problem with the current airport is that it is underutilised!! we need more flights before talking about a new airport (stats from MAB).

cheers

tuaran2010

March 18th, 2010, 05:26 PM

Why do we have to move our airport because of the illegal squatter instead of moving the squatter for our airport?

Actually the biggest problem with the current airport is that it is underutilised!! we need more flights before talking about a new airport (stats from MAB).

cheers

Mile 7 always have traffic jam cause by school. They should build a new airport at a new site with freeway direct access to airport. The current airport location in actual fact is not suitable at all bcos surronded by housing estates, post a danger to the nearby resident and school if accident happen. We have to think of long term planning and not for 5 years only.

Sabahkid

March 18th, 2010, 11:13 PM

Mile 7 always have traffic jam cause by school. They should build a new airport at a new site with freeway direct access to airport. The current airport location in actual fact is not suitable at all bcos surronded by housing estates, post a danger to the nearby resident and school if accident happen. We have to think of long term planning and not for 5 years only.

1) there are housing and school around the airport but they are not under the flight path approaching the airport.

2) base on the current traffic vol at the airport, we may not reach the capacity (1.5 million pax per annuam) in the next 15 years!!

cheers

tuaran2010

March 19th, 2010, 03:07 AM

I have been encountered few times traffic jam just outside the school. Luckily I can still board the flight.

Based on Aviation rule, there should be no housing estate at the airport area within few km radius.

I doubt Bintulu airport has more passengers volume than Sandakan airport? Why is that Bintulu airport is twice bigger size than Sandakan airport and yet bintulu population which is less than 200k if compared to sandakan abt 450k? If you want to talk about tourist, I believe Sandakan has much more tourist than bintulu, sibu and miri (population only 350k). :ohno:

I used to work for SIA and I even propose to the management to provide more flights to Sabah and you know what they told me? You better ask your malaysia gomen to allow more flight frequency from SIN-KK, SDK and TWU and vice-versa. This is not because foreign airline do not want to fly to Sabah, it is because of our MAB policy.

A lot of Australian want to enjoy our beaches and islands in Sabah but due to no direct flight, they will rather go Bali or Phuket.

We will hardly compete with Bali and Phuket if the policy remain the same.

I had joined the forum between Ng Yen Yen with our SABAH tourism industry players b4. During the forum, she gave so many excuses when we requested the direct flight to KK but all my friends in the travel industries knew that problems. They told me, the minister always gave the same excuses to Sabah tourism industry.

The only way for Sabah to have more direct flight to KK is through charter flight and this only applicable to those BIG PLAYER with strong $$$.

tuaran2010

March 19th, 2010, 03:16 AM

2) base on the current traffic vol at the airport, we may not reach the capacity (1.5 million pax per annuam) in the next 15 years!!

Everything can be achieved but it depends on who is running the show. :cheers:

tbc

March 19th, 2010, 03:51 AM

Based on Aviation rule, there should be no housing estate at the airport area within few km radius.
Oh, they better relocate Heathrow airport from its present location then
Last time I flew in and out, I saw very many rooftops underneath :)

I used to work for SIA and I even propose to the management to provide more flights to Sabah and you know what they told me? You better ask your malaysia gomen to allow more flight frequency from SIN-KK, SDK and TWU and vice-versa. This is not because foreign airline do not want to fly to Sabah, it is because of our MAB policy
That line of argument so yesterday already lah
In case you're not aware, SIN-Malaysia air travel now very much liberalized (not fully yet, but in time) - yes, including SIN-SDK and SIN-TWU sectors
Yes, some airlines did try out but have since withdrawn, barely a year later
Would you not agree that market demand is not quite there yet to sustain those sectors profitably ?

Sabahkid

March 19th, 2010, 09:11 AM

Oh, they better relocate Heathrow airport from its present location then
Last time I flew in and out, I saw very many rooftops underneath :)

That line of argument so yesterday already lah
In case you're not aware, SIN-Malaysia air travel now very much liberalized (not fully yet, but in time) - yes, including SIN-SDK and SIN-TWU sectors
Yes, some airlines did try out but have since withdrawn, barely a year later
Would you not agree that market demand is not quite there yet to sustain those sectors profitably ?

Market demand can be created... it is all about market strategy and awaress... if our govt is only interested in protecting the so called national airlines or if there is no genuine effort in promoting tourism in the state, then many things will not happen. Like what Tuaran2010 said, it depends on who's running the show!!

cheers

tuaran2010

March 19th, 2010, 10:20 AM

In case you're not aware, SIN-Malaysia air travel now very much liberalized (not fully yet, but in time) - yes, including SIN-SDK and SIN-TWU sectors
Yes, some airlines did try out but have since withdrawn, barely a year later
Would you not agree that market demand is not quite there yet to sustain those sectors profitably ?

I doubt you read yesterday and today news about Miri and SIN route. Why airasia cancelled the Miri and SIN route since the passenger rate is more than 70%?

and now after the sarawak gomen discussed with MAB, airasia will resume their flight from Miri-SIN. :ohno:

tbc

March 19th, 2010, 12:08 PM

I doubt you read yesterday and today news about Miri and SIN route. Why airasia cancelled the Miri and SIN route since the passenger rate is more than 70%?

and now after the sarawak gomen discussed with MAB, airasia will resume their flight from Miri-SIN. :ohno:

Good for Miri then - no, I must admit I did not catch that quoted piece of news
But the bilateral agreement is still in place, no ?
Did AirAsia ever saw it viable to commence SIN-SDK vv ?
Or MH, MI, TR, 3K or SQ for that matter ?

Bear in mind though that load factor is but just one indicator of whether a particular service is profitable, hence financially viable, not the determining factor
Remember someone once calculated that MH would have had to have a load factor of 100+% for it to have been profitable on the Manchester route ?! :lol:

Come on lah, if there is enough demand, the private sector will, and they will, find a way to fulfil that demand. If need be, charter flights lah, even though lots of $$$ involved ($$$=profit btw !)

Strictly from aviation perspective, take BKI-SEL
MH flew the route for ages, made a hash of it (and still making a hash of it if you ask me) Then KE started off with their seasonal charters, progressed to scheduled charters, now scheduled flights. Not just KE now, they have been joined by OZ since

That is market demand driven progress, of which the downside is the parties are free to, and will reduce/drop frequencies/flights once there is reduced demand (seen KA's frequency on BKI-HKG nowadays ?) That is essence of how the free market exists

And please do not try repeat that "build a bigger, newer airport and tourists will come flocking in" story. That sort of logic best reserved for politicians when they try make an impression on the electorate, or have nothing better to say. Is it necessary to use Melaka International Airport as benchmark ?

Incidentally, do you really want to compete with Bali and Phuket for the class of clientele they attract ? If so, Sandakan will be a sorry excuse in time to come then, to be very blunt about it

tuaran2010

March 20th, 2010, 01:43 PM

tbc,

Silk air requested 7 times a week for SIN-KK route but rejected by MAB and only allow them to fly 2 times a week. WHY? :ohno:

If the demand is low why Silk air requested 7 times a week for KK-SIN route but was turned down by MAB and msia gomen? What market demand you are talking about here? :nuts:

As I said, it depend who is running the show. If you can't perform, please let go your post and let someone who is capable to do it rather than someone sit down there just to fill up the quota and receive GAJI BUTA and know only giving excuses! :bash:

tbc

March 20th, 2010, 02:59 PM

Silk air requested 7 times a week for SIN-KK route but rejected by MAB and only allow them to fly 2 times a week. WHY? :ohno:

Which year was that ?
A quick check with Silkair's site now will show they are now doing 5 weekly SIN-BKI vv
Unless I'm mistaken, they were doing daily (ie. 7 weekly) not so long ago, but scaled down when things got congested when the LCC's joined the party, AK, TR and 3K all in one go
Our 5 star rated national carrier decided to call it quits completely on BKI-SIN instead. Incidentally, so has TR since then

With data we have in hand, it's not possible to conclude whether market demand has grown or otherwise since the partial liberalization. Only the industry players will have the truth in hand - notice though they haven't made so much of a squeak lately about capacity restrictions ?

Essentially, that is normally how equilibrium is attained between supply and market demand - not nobel prize economics but merely common sense

But all this is going O/T - this is not the correct topic to discuss BKI-SIN (but of which you'll realize I never said there is insufficient market demand) This is a thread about Sandakan

My contention is that events have proven that there is currently insufficient demand for airlines to viably operate SIN to Sabah east coast despite available traffic rights in place
Furthermore, there is no immediate need to waste what precious little resources we have on relocating SDK, ie. new terminal, new runway(s), new highways, etc since the existing facilities can cope, even when some growth is worked in too. Heck, if going by theory that airport should be relocated due to nearby housing estates, and relocated far away to cater for future growth of Sandakan, you'll likely be halfway to new TWU airport already. That is also sorely underutilized. So why not share an airport with Tawau ? :)

As absurd as it may sound, the traffic rights are now in place but no one wants to service the route - which means someone (be it private sector or government initiatives) has to now create the demand for foreigners to flock to SDK/TWU and for Sandakan and Tawau folks to want to travel very extensively (not just to/from Singapore you realize) Which will in turn pump up the traffic figures, hopefully to a tipping point that suggests, "hey, we need a new airport" - job for those gaji buta recepients you alluded to no doubt !

Incidentally, I believe you'll need to realign your understanding of MAB (Malaysia Airport Berhad) - they are just the operator of vast majority of airports in Malaysia, not the licensing body. The authority that determines who flies where and how often is ultimately the Ministry of Transport

daeng_jal

March 20th, 2010, 04:06 PM

Incidentally, I believe you'll need to realign your understanding of MAB (Malaysia Airport Berhad) - they are just the operator of vast majority of airports in Malaysia, not the licensing body. The authority that determines who flies where and how often is ultimately the Ministry of Transport

I think he knows, as he used to work with SIA:)

Sabahkid

March 21st, 2010, 07:47 AM

I think he knows, as he used to work with SIA:)

tbc,

Even though MAB is essentially a corporatised airport operator only, their influence on govt decision is way beyond their scope since they are, well, a govt-link corporation.

Look at KLIA for example. AirAsia has recently emerged as the biggest user of the airport. So by right, for any airport operator, u would think that they will go all out to to make ur biggest client happy (think changi & SIA). But what did we hear? MAB was practically at war with AirAsia, their biggest client!

I must say that there is insuffient effort in promoting tourism as a whole in Sabah. Most effort is concentrated in and around KK. So this leaves the small and medium size operators from the easst coast to each go their own way to attract tourists - there just isn't any overall strategy cos govt hardly want to get involve. and don't forget about the business travellers, they are in fact the biggest spenders of all visitors. Sarawak has set up a MICE bureau to get these group in, n what do we have? They still think that with a few 5 star resorts we can sustain the whole industry!?!?

daeng_jal

March 21st, 2010, 08:10 AM

errm airasia maybe MAHB biggest customer, but not a lousy one, whose like a customer, who make up noises, ask this and that, but don't want to pay his debt..

too bad airasia is also a GLC if not i think MAHB has kick them out years ago

tuaran2010

March 22nd, 2010, 03:17 AM

TBC,

As I told you i used to work for SIA, and Silk Air requested 7 times a week is a FACT and they have been requested since 5 years ago and till today they still want to request for 7 times a week to fly from SIN-KK. The Silkair KK GM is my good friend.

What is your motive behind keep on protecting the lousy government with lousy planning and their weaknesses in promoting our tourism industry especially for east coast towns in Sabah? :ohno:

As I told you also I have been attended the forum between Sabah travel industry players and Minister of Tourism Ng Yen yen before and all the excuses given by her were the same as 10 years ago and keep on talking about the demand and supply but in actual fact which is NOT TRUE! They want to protect the MAS. period.

Sabah tourism need to progress and not stay stagnant and the gomen should go to receive more feedback especially from the tourism players and not by giving excuses! :ohno:

Bintulu, Miri and Sibu (going to upgrade soon) airports are much better than Sandakan and Lahad Datu but in actual fact, Sandakan (Sepilok, Turtle Island, Kinabatangan Probosic Monkey) and Lahad Datu (Danum Valley and etc) got more tourism products to offer than Bintulu, Sibu and Miri. In addition, Sandakan and Lahad Datu had larger population than Miri, Sibu and Bintulu.

Don't you think we should have bigger and larger airport? :cheers:

Sabahkid

March 22nd, 2010, 05:44 AM

Sabahkid

March 22nd, 2010, 05:59 AM

tuaran2010

March 22nd, 2010, 06:01 AM

When i was in sandakan 2 weeks ago, I saw the european tourist saying a word LOUD and CLEAR in Sandakan airport at the arrival hall male toilet, "SHIT, how can a toilet without water?". I was pissed too after the toilet but the water tap was dried and no water. I complain to the INFO COUNTER but the person in charge just smile at me! :ohno:

There are alot of Australian want to visit Sandakan but due to no direct flight, they change their plan to go Phuket and Bali (cheaper, save cost and save time) and this is the fact I got from all the travel industry player from KK.

KLIA trying very hard to lure foreign airline to land there eventhough offer FREE LANDING but most of the foriegn airline still prefer Changi or Bangkok as their regional hub. WHY?

Why Sandakan and KK MAB charged an exhobirtant high fee to foreign airline like Australian Airline used to land in KKIA and their main factor to pull out was because of too costly of the landing fee charged by MAB. This is also happened to Air Asia cancelling flying Miri-SIN route recently and after their Sarawak gomen requested them to lower down the landing fee charge.

The demand and supply factor are just an excuse and rather an absurb explanation!

AFL

March 22nd, 2010, 07:03 AM

tbc,

Even though MAB is essentially a corporatised airport operator only, their influence on govt decision is way beyond their scope since they are, well, a govt-link corporation.

Look at KLIA for example. AirAsia has recently emerged as the biggest user of the airport. So by right, for any airport operator, u would think that they will go all out to to make ur biggest client happy (think changi & SIA). But what did we hear? MAB was practically at war with AirAsia, their biggest client!

MAHB is now building a dedicated and permanent LCCT. I don't think MAHB is all out at war with Airasia. both parties are only disagree with few issues. Construction of new LCCT is a firm commitment of MAHB to make KLIA an LCCT hub to tap the success of Airasia.

daeng_jal

March 22nd, 2010, 07:08 AM

^^
i thought it got to do with the fact that both national carrier join an alliances
which MAS does not..

better use the money to relocate and rebuild a new airport to build much needed facilities, school,hospital, promotion even incentive to develop east coast sabah..

never hears european shouted for water before!!! for toilet paper ader lah:)

AFL

March 22nd, 2010, 07:09 AM

Why Sandakan and KK MAB charged an exhobirtant high fee to foreign airline like Australian Airline used to land in KKIA and their main factor to pull out was because of too costly of the landing fee charged by MAB. This is also happened to Air Asia cancelling flying Miri-SIN route recently and after their Sarawak gomen requested them to lower down the landing fee charge.

The demand and supply factor are just an excuse and rather an absurb explanation!

I thought Chong Kah Kiat, when he was the minister of tourism, he successfully convince MAHB to waive landing fees at KKIA, and it worked. I think Australian Airlines was forced to compete with Royal Brunei which has more established connection from Sabah/Sarawak to Oceania.

AFL

March 22nd, 2010, 07:12 AM

^^
i thought it got to do with the fact that both national carrier join an alliances
which MAS does not..

Yes, SIA and Thai Airways are Star Alliance partners...MAS was planning to Join Skyteam to cover the alliance's Southeast Asian connection. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was open to the idea but Air France was reluctant.

tuaran2010

March 22nd, 2010, 08:39 AM

I think Australian Airlines was forced to compete with Royal Brunei which has more established connection from Sabah/Sarawak to Oceania.

FYI, brunei airline didnt fly direct to Sydney but only other places in Australia. Australian airline fly direct from KK to sydney. How can they compete by flying totally different location?

tbc

March 22nd, 2010, 09:22 AM

tuaran2010,

Points of clarification required here, if I may
(1) tbc is in no position to "protect" any government - thanks for the flattery all the same :)
(2) even if he has the clout, tbc has no inclination to protect any "lousy government with lousy planning" - quite the contrary in fact
(3) tbc has no motive in posting on this forum, not the sinister variety anyway - just trying to express an opinion
(Hope my wife don't get to read this, she will die laughing and my kids will be left motherless :))

I've said previously, this discussion about Silkair's SIN-BKI service is off topic already and doesn't really contribute towards a discussion about Sandakan. But since you persisted, here you go :

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i293/bingchu/mi2.jpg

So, six weekly services (apologies for my typo error in earlier post #640) it is, agree ?
Please note I never doubted your stated "FACT" that Silkair requested for seven weekly flights, in fact I believe that was already the case from way back when SQ flew the route instead
Hence, you must admit more than the two weekly you have so adamantly insisted on. Admittedly though still short of the seven 'requested for' - but .....

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i293/bingchu/mi1.jpg

read here and you'll see Mr Jack Lim (your friend presumably) saying demand not quite what it used to be. You think he is still keen on the seventh weekly service now ?
So, you wanna get the latest update from your friend before we discuss this further (I suggest in a new thread) if necessary ?

Oh, you may also want to confirm with him that MI flights on SIN-BKI-SIN run are now code shared with MH. Meaning they berpakat and to make it sound nice, share resources. Cynics like yours truly find it very difficult to visualize how our 5-star rated national carrier is being "protected" by the authorities nowadays in this manner - not when they choose to makan sama sama at the same table :)

tbc

March 22nd, 2010, 09:46 AM

better use the money to relocate and rebuild a new airport to build much needed facilities, school,hospital, promotion even incentive to develop east coast sabah..

..... But I think we must first, spend the money/resources to further promote the tourism industry
.....Then as we get more publicity and exposure, we should go for major upgrade of our airport (minor upgrade is a must now i must say, like better immigration/toilet/beverage facilities). Agree??

Now, that sounds a more sensible approach :)
Much more efficient expenditure of our not limitless resources (meaning money mainly lah) if we are to fix the water supply problem at existing airport first rather than relocate and build everything anew in the middle of no where just so Sandakan can boast of a bigger spanking new airport (no guarantee there that water supply problem will not recur)
Especially not when there are 1,001 other more pressing needs

In fact, a government doesn't think in that manner is a "lousy government with lousy planning" in my humble opinion, and you can likely expect some comments from yours truly on this ! :)

tbc

March 22nd, 2010, 10:05 AM

KLIA trying very hard to lure foreign airline to land there eventhough offer FREE LANDING but most of the foriegn airline still prefer Changi or Bangkok as their regional hub. WHY?
It's called 'connectivity'
It's where places already with 'spokes' coming out has the advantage of luring more 'spokes' to the 'hub'
On a smaller scale, same reason why BKI is a hub and SDK is not :)

In KUL's case, the fact that our 5-star rated national carrier once thought itself too high and mighty to bother with airline alliances during their early formative years, does not help its cause nowadays one bit :ohno:

Sabahkid

March 22nd, 2010, 01:39 PM

Actual it is good to have an active discussion going on... those who contributed indirectly show that they do care about this place.

So with all the experiences and information we have here from people like tbc, tuaran2010 and many others, any suggestion how we can garner the support to push some of the initiatives that were discussed here? And hopefully it will turn into something one day.... i mean someone just got to start something somewere ya......

cheers

AFL

March 22nd, 2010, 02:44 PM

FYI, brunei airline didnt fly direct to Sydney but only other places in Australia. Australian airline fly direct from KK to sydney. How can they compete by flying totally different location?

Thanks for correcting the info. However, wasn't it the reason Australian Airlines suspended their SYD-BKI-SYD services was due to low passenger load although the number of Aussie tourists increase during the same period?

It's called 'connectivity'
It's where places already with 'spokes' coming out has the advantage of luring more 'spokes' to the 'hub'
On a smaller scale, same reason why BKI is a hub and SDK is not

I am afraid we already on the same path with Japan, where local governments in that country build and build newer airports in their respective area and expect Japan Airlines (which already gone bankrupt) and ANA to service their airports. Why on earth they build Kobe airport if the location itself is so close to Kansai airport?

tbc

March 22nd, 2010, 02:54 PM

My confession here is that I know next to nothing about the tourism market here in Sabah, if that hasn't been made obvious already by my previous postings :)
I am not involved in the industry, directly nor indirectly
So, please pardon my ignorance in this field
My interest lies more in the aviation sector, aeroplanes having held some strange fascination for me since when I could identify them as aeroplanes

However you will realize, if you bother to search for it, that there has been quite extensive research on the tourism industry/potential in Sabah, the grand daddy of them all probably being the "Sabah Tourism Master Plan, 1994" by IDS, Sabah. A useful guide for anyone contemplating a venture can be found at the bottom of the page here http://www.townplanning.sabah.gov.my/iczm/reports/Coastal%20Profile%20Sabah/ch13/13-TOURISM_RECREATION.html
(it's a huge table, I won't even attempt to copy/paste it here)

A much summarized table by region can be found here
http://www.iczm.sabah.gov.my/Reports/Spatial%20Plan/mst-POLICIES.html

Hang on, those studies are more than a decade old - they must be outdated
True, but basics are there to build on, if you want to
Furthermore, it seems that IDS will be doing an update study
"Revision of the Sabah Tourism Masterplan 1996 – 2010 to 2010 – 2025"
as indicated here
http://www.ids.org.my/current/aboutids/centres/index2009.htm

So, maybe just maybe not everyone makan gaji buta as alleged earlier
Perhaps something positive has resulted - probably not much and not very good value for money considering the amount splashed out year in year out, but result there is to show for it

Well, I know I read something about KK airport all those years ago, and one of their recommendation is now reality. Anyone noticed that Bukit VOIR is now no more a bukit ? :)

And before people jump to conclusions, no, I am not associated with IDS in any manner nor are they paying me to write this (which is a shame really) :lol:

tbc

March 22nd, 2010, 03:19 PM

..... wasn't it the reason Australian Airlines suspended their SYD-BKI-SYD services was due to low passenger load although .....
If you are to believe all you read in the papers, the reason stated at that time was they needed the aircraft to service their newly acquired Japanese routes. Yes, one can safely conclude that the Japanese market is much more lucrative than the Sabah market, for then to have abandoned all the time/effort/money already spent in promoting the BKI service at the drop of the hat just like that
No, apparently the load factor was quite healthy, but yield couldn't have been much to shout about for them to lose interest like they did
For whatever reason, Japanese affluence did not stop Australian from going down under (sorry for pun) a couple of years or so later

Why on earth they build Kobe airport if the location itself is so close to Kansai airport?
Why on earth have Melaka International Airport when there is that semi white elephant commonly known as KLIA not terribly too far up the road ? :nuts:

TWK90

March 22nd, 2010, 03:29 PM

I am afraid we already on the same path with Japan, where local governments in that country build and build newer airports in their respective area and expect Japan Airlines (which already gone bankrupt) and ANA to service their airports. Why on earth they build Kobe airport if the location itself is so close to Kansai airport?

There are too many redundant airports in Japan, for example......not just Kobe (they can use Itami or KIX for that matter), but also recent ones like Shizuoka and Ibaraki airports.

JAL and ANA at the moment, refused to serve Ibaraki airport.....well, it is just 80 km from Tokyo and Tokyo itself served by Narita and Haneda. Another problem is that the airport accessibility is not that good, it is not linked to rail.

tbc

March 22nd, 2010, 04:16 PM

Also look up Yangyang airport in South Korea :)

AFL

March 22nd, 2010, 04:23 PM

If you are to believe all you read in the papers, the reason stated at that time was they needed the aircraft to service their newly acquired Japanese routes. Yes, one can safely conclude that the Japanese market is much more lucrative than the Sabah market, for then to have abandoned all the time/effort/money already spent in promoting the BKI service at the drop of the hat just like that
No, apparently the load factor was quite healthy, but yield couldn't have been much to shout about for them to lose interest like they did
For whatever reason, Japanese affluence did not stop Australian from going down under (sorry for pun) a couple of years or so later

You have a point there, it all comes down to yield.

Why on earth have Melaka International Airport when there is that semi white elephant commonly known as KLIA not terribly too far up the road ? :nuts:

Its a pork barrel politics. As I said before, Malaysia is heading towards the same path with Japanese politics of doing things.

tbc

March 23rd, 2010, 05:20 AM

Bintulu, Miri and Sibu (going to upgrade soon) airports are much better than Sandakan and Lahad Datu but in actual fact, Sandakan (Sepilok, Turtle Island, Kinabatangan Probosic Monkey) and Lahad Datu (Danum Valley and etc) got more tourism products to offer than Bintulu, Sibu and Miri. In addition, Sandakan and Lahad Datu had larger population than Miri, Sibu and Bintulu.

Don't you think we should have bigger and larger airport? :cheers:

Ah yes, comparison with Sarawak airports :)

With all due respect to Sarawakian readers here, I shall opine that the criteria for deciding on airport constructions in Sarawak is quite peculiar to the state and an exacting science beyond comprehension of normal folks most times

You have for example the quite impressive new Limbang airport, pics can be found here
http://www.google.com.my/imglanding?q=limbang%20airport&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MH1LL0p8-a0/RujXsexi0hI/AAAAAAAAAT0/S6y1MGnenIk/s400/1811887-limbang_airport_car_park-Limbang.jpg&imgrefurl=http://boyfromlimbang.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html&h=300&w=400&sz=28&tbnid=niHUKiLqLzZG1M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlimbang%2Bairport&usg=__YI78-YMLDdTX3wm4-F5s8b0e0QU=&ei=vyyoS8zuLsSprAfAp8DDAQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=6&ct=image&ved=0CBgQ9QEwBQ&start=0#tbnid=niHUKiLqLzZG1M&start=2
I remember also discussed in another 'Limbang' thread here if you wanna search for it

Also, going to spend 200million on a new Mukah airport, details here
http://www.mudtour.sarawak.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=168&Itemid=38
some discussion here
http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=12093

So, with that in mind, you think it's wise to emulate the Sarawakian formula ? Or shall we just leave it at 'comparing' stage ?
Otherwise, there could be possibility of Pamol International Airport being built, as an example
Not so far fetched, not when someone had in past suggested a new airport for Keningau (during election campaigning if I remember correctly)

In addition, population volume is not the only criteria in deciding on an airport's location or vitality
Many many other factors, which could well be subject of some pHD thesis :)

For your last question, I think already answered previously - not yet :cheers:

tuaran2010

March 23rd, 2010, 09:49 AM

Ah yes, comparison with Sarawak airports :)

With all due respect to Sarawakian readers here, I shall opine that the criteria for deciding on airport constructions in Sarawak is quite peculiar to the state and an exacting science beyond comprehension of normal folks most times

You have for example the quite impressive new Limbang airport, pics can be found here
http://www.google.com.my/imglanding?q=limbang%20airport&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_MH1LL0p8-a0/RujXsexi0hI/AAAAAAAAAT0/S6y1MGnenIk/s400/1811887-limbang_airport_car_park-Limbang.jpg&imgrefurl=http://boyfromlimbang.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html&h=300&w=400&sz=28&tbnid=niHUKiLqLzZG1M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlimbang%2Bairport&usg=__YI78-YMLDdTX3wm4-F5s8b0e0QU=&ei=vyyoS8zuLsSprAfAp8DDAQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=6&ct=image&ved=0CBgQ9QEwBQ&start=0#tbnid=niHUKiLqLzZG1M&start=2
I remember also discussed in another 'Limbang' thread here if you wanna search for it

Also, going to spend 200million on a new Mukah airport, details here
http://www.mudtour.sarawak.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=168&Itemid=38
some discussion here
http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=12093

So, with that in mind, you think it's wise to emulate the Sarawakian formula ? Or shall we just leave it at 'comparing' stage ?
Otherwise, there could be possibility of Pamol International Airport being built, as an example
Not so far fetched, not when someone had in past suggested a new airport for Keningau (during election campaigning if I remember correctly)

In addition, population volume is not the only criteria in deciding on an airport's location or vitality
Many many other factors, which could well be subject of some pHD thesis :)

For your last question, I think already answered previously - not yet :cheers:

Sandakan with more population and more tourism products to offer than any towns in sarawak especially miri, bintulu and sibu. Don't u think that Sandakan deserve a bigger airport?

Sandakan as well known as little HK and as we all know that there are alot of HK decendent living in HK and they desperately need direct flight from SDK-HK as an example. If you understand chinese and watch HK series, there are many times they are talking and promoting about Sandakan!

Sandakan used to be a very popular town during 60th and 70th and their development will not lose out to KL during that time. Why their development so slow now and being throw away few hundred miles by KL ?

Sandakan has more than 450,000 population as we all know that the road system and connectivity among towns are suck in Sabah and plus we must take flight in order to get to other places and why Sanadakan do not deserve a bigger airport? In term of tourism, Sandakan has more to offer than any towns sarawak. :banana:

As I said, its all depends who run the show! :ohno:

tbc

March 23rd, 2010, 01:26 PM

Sandakan with more population and more tourism products to offer than any towns in sarawak especially miri, bintulu and sibu. Don't u think that Sandakan deserve a bigger airport?
You seem obsessed with benchmarking against Sarawak airports for some reason !
My answer would still be - not yet :)
Btw, it's a fact that 'tourists' have been traditionally low yield for any airline
Sort of affect the attractiveness, or otherwise, for an airline to consider mounting a service on a particular route doesn't it ? :)

.....there are alot of HK decendent living in HK .....
Yes, point taken and I can vouch for that ;)

...... they desperately need direct flight from SDK-HK as an example. If you understand chinese and watch HK series, there are many times they are talking and promoting about Sandakan!
I would draw (a very bold) line between the harsh cold econonic realities of sustaining a viable air route SDK-HKG and what those "HK Series" has to promise :)

Incidentally, how desparate can it be ?
How many "HK descendants" residing in Sandakan do you estimate who desparately wants to travel to HK on a weekly basis ?
I imagine at least a B737 / A320 class aircraft (150 seats) has the range capability to do HKG-SDK
Even when adding in potential tourist traffic, you think there is enough demand to justify a minimum of 2x weekly run profitably (remember to bear in mind potential yield)

..... we must take flight in order to get to other places and why Sanadakan do not deserve a bigger airport?
Even if we assume a HKG-SDK-HKG service makes viable econonic sense to an airline for whatever reason, why would SDK need (as opposed to "deserve") a "bigger airport" when it can already accomodate quite comfortably the likely class of aircraft to be employed, ie. B737/A320 ?
I believe SDK has previously catered for aircraft even bigger than those ?

tuaran2010

March 23rd, 2010, 01:53 PM

tbc,

I knew what u r talking about but please do not do thing in last minute. We need a long term planing. Sandakan airport can only handle the boieng 737 at the same time because it only has 2 aero bridge.

Air Asia will like to fly to Lahad Datu desperately but they told me the airport is too small and cannot cater for boeing or airbus.

It is the same when it apply to our road system, if we don't have a proper basic infra like road system, no one will want to buy a sport car like ferrari in Sandakan.

If we do not have the consistency public utility supply, no investor will want to come in to start up their factory here and is the same go to sea port facility like we need to have a Key-Crane in order to speed up the loading and unloading process but definitely not the mobile crane they are using now eventhough in the new sepanggar port.

Very simple, if you cannot do the job, let other who is more capable to do it instead of YOU sit down there just to fill up the quota and makan gaji buta.

Profit making or not is up to the business man. They will not be that stupid to invest eventhough is not making money BUT DEFINATELY THEY WILL NOT INVEST if the basic infrastructure at the airport is sux!

tuaran2010

March 23rd, 2010, 02:02 PM

I would draw (a very bold) line between the harsh cold econonic realities of sustaining a viable air route SDK-HKG and what those "HK Series" has to promise :)

Incidentally, how desparate can it be ?
How many "HK descendants" residing in Sandakan do you estimate who desparately wants to travel to HK on a weekly basis ?
I imagine at least a B737 / A320 class aircraft (150 seats) has the range capability to do HKG-SDK
Even when adding in potential tourist traffic, you think there is enough demand to justify a minimum of 2x weekly run profitably (remember to bear in mind potential yield)

At first, there is FREE MARKETING in HK series about Sandakan and telling the HK people some of them living in Sandakan.

I believe a lot of SDK people would like to fly direct to HK and vice versa.

Second, HK people would love to experience our eco-tourism and nature especially Kinabatangan river cruise, Sepilok, Turtle island and etc ... plus to visit their relatives.

How many "HK descendants" residing in Sandakan do you estimate who desparately wants to travel to HK on a weekly basis ?
I imagine at least a B737 / A320 class aircraft (150 seats) has the range capability to do HKG-SDK
Even when adding in potential tourist traffic, you think there is enough demand to justify a minimum of 2x weekly run profitably (remember to bear in mind potential yield)

There are more than 7 million HK population and if we can attract only 0.01% of HK tourist, the flight for SDK-HK or HK-SDK will be full flight. This all depends on the marketing.

If you don't tell me, how do I know what product you are selling?

tbc

March 23rd, 2010, 02:46 PM

Sandakan airport can only handle the boieng 737 at the same time because it only has 2 aero bridge.
So how many aerobridges you think is needed ?
You expect all the weekly flights to arrive at the same time on one particular day ?
Btw, isn't that the mandarin pronounciation of 'Boeing' ? :)

Air Asia will like to fly to Lahad Datu desperately but they told me the airport is too small and cannot cater for boeing or airbus.
Be very cautious
The last time that party came round Lahad Datu, made quite a mess with Fly Asian Express remember ?

It is the same when it apply to our road system, if we don't have a proper basic infra like road system, no one will want to buy a sport car like ferrari in Sandakan.
If I'm not mistaken, it did not deter a certain somebody in Sandakan :)

Very simple, if you cannot do the job, let other who is more capable to do it instead of YOU sit down there just to fill up the quota and makan gaji buta.
You're correct, I'm not up to the task (I've admitted as much earlier you'll notice)
Now, if someone will just allow me to "fill the quota and (the more satisfying part) makan gaji buta" - yes please :)

Profit making or not is up to the business man. They will not be that stupid to invest eventhough is not making money BUT DEFINATELY THEY WILL NOT INVEST if the basic infrastructure at the airport is sux!
In the same manner, I don't think straight thinking business people will rush in anytime soon and mount a HKG-SDK service, irrespective whether a new bigger airport is built at SDK or not. Furthermore, I think it will be a stupid investment if the government is build a new bigger airport at SDK now
But then stranger things (like putting man on the moon) has happened before and these are indeed strange times we're living in nowadays :)

In the Sandakan context, your priority need for basic infrastructure investment is NOT a new, bigger, better airport
You need more dependable water and power supplies, real roads that don't shorten life expectancy of occupants and vehicle ..... you'll probably get the idea by now

A potential investor could possibly be so overwhelmingly wow'ed by a big, spanking new SDK airport upon arrival on a non stop direct flight from Singapore or Hong Kong or Sydney, but he/she will still not likely likely invest in any industry there if you cannot assure him/her of more basic needs
Unless the said investor is in the power generation, water supply/distribution and/or road building industries lah !

I believe a lot of SDK people would like to fly direct to HK and vice versa
Do you have an estimation ?

There are more than 7 million HK population and if we can attract only 0.01% of HK tourist, the flight for SDK-HK or HK-SDK will be full flight
Ok, all 700 of them then
Sort of like 5 flights utilizing B737/A320 class aircraft
That is if you can convince all intending HK visitors to Sandakan to synchronize their vacations so they are obliged to fill up those 5 flights
This better be over period of a week (otherwise SDK's two aerobridges cannot cope) on an annual basis (that is the average frequency of one's holiday travel, no ?)
So, who is going to travel HKG-SDK vv for remainder 51 weeks of the year ? :)

tuaran2010

March 24th, 2010, 04:01 AM

TBC,

Your excuses are:
1. Sandakan airport can handle current paasenger volume. BUT TILL WHEN? 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
2. You presume that most of the foreign airline fly to Sandakan will making a loss thats why you are against to build a new airport to cater for more direct flight from oversea.

FYI,

How long we need to build a new airport starting from looking for a new land, planning, tender and etc ... till end product? In current Malaysia gomen so called efficiency in their delivery system, we need at least 10-15 years!

Are you telling me the current airport can cater for 10-15 years time?:nuts:

As I said, If the current in-competency (I am not talking about u) gomen officer cannot do the job, please resign and let other who is more capable to handle the job and do not sit there just to fill up the quota.::ohno:

If still running by a bunch of incompetency staffs, I believe in 10-15 years time, Sandakan airport will still the same an old airport.:ohno:

tuaran2010

March 24th, 2010, 04:03 AM

Ok, all 700 of them then
Sort of like 5 flights utilizing B737/A320 class aircraft
That is if you can convince all intending HK visitors to Sandakan to synchronize their vacations so they are obliged to fill up those 5 flights
This better be over period of a week (otherwise SDK's two aerobridges cannot cope) on an annual basis (that is the average frequency of one's holiday travel, no ?)
So, who is going to travel HKG-SDK vv for remainder 51 weeks of the year ? :)

Very simple question to you:
Are you telling me yourself do traveling to the same country again and again in your whole life?

rizalhakim

March 25th, 2010, 05:47 PM

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sri_utama_condo/sri_utama06.jpg

http://www.atsa.com.my/current_projects/2010/sri_utama_condo/sri_utama07.jpg

Sabahkid

March 26th, 2010, 09:09 AM

Silver-Whisper cruise dock at Sandakan port.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16236990@N08/4435346481/

They should apply to dock at the naval base at the city centre, instead of the Karamunting port which is surrounded by squatters....

cheers

tbc

March 26th, 2010, 02:27 PM

1. Sandakan airport can handle current paasenger volume. BUT TILL WHEN? 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
I would hazard a guess of many more years than that. Why ?
a) SDK is no where near it's current built up capacity, terminal nor runway wise
b) When terminal capacity is breached, ample space available for expansion, or 'redevelopment' as they are so fond of calling it nowadays
c) When runway capacity is breached, can be alleviated by construction of parallel taxiways, space there also available for this purpose
d) Runway length not likely to be a restrictive factor as the current one is already able to accomodate the largest class of aircraft likely to serve SDK (B737/A320 category)

Reality is that SDK will likely remain as the point at the protruding end of a spoke, rather than the point known as the hub, in the 'hub and spoke' train of thought. Meaning, SDK will not likely be entertaining any serious widebody movements anytime in the forseeable future. Not unless someone decide the place needs to be done up to cater for 'once in a blue moon' visits by B747's or in time to come, A380's - that I will admit cannot be accounted for by rational reasoning

2. You presume that most of the foreign airline fly to Sandakan will making a loss thats why you are against to build a new airport to cater for more direct flight from oversea.
The way is clear for foreign airlines to serve SDK I believe. SIN-SDK is opened up, no airline thinks it's profitable to fly
I may be wrong, but HKG-SDK could also be possible, no airline thinks it's profitable to fly
Zest Air/Asian Spirit - are they still serving SDK ?
If scheduled traffic rights is the issue, charter flights are much less restrictive - SDK has seen what, two such flights so far ? Do you know of any more being planned ?
If it is profitable, meaning there is demand for it, airlines will find a way to reap the profit (capitalism you see)

In fact, I don't see any domestic routes done other than SDK-BKI and SDK-KUL
What about SDK-JHB ? SDK-PEN ? SDK-KCH ?

For clarification sake, I am not against building a new SDK airport if the traffic justifies it. You don't just build it in the (futile ?) hope that foreign airlines will come flocking in just for the sake of trying out a spanking new airport
You and I, as contributors to Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (I am assuming you pay taxes) will then end up as rather foolish investors in the newest, grandest Malaysian white elephant named 'Sandakan International Airport'

As I said, If the current in-competency (I am not talking about u) gomen officer cannot do the job, please resign and let other who is more capable to handle the job and do not sit there just to fill up the quota.::ohno:

If still running by a bunch of incompetency staffs, I believe in 10-15 years time, Sandakan airport will still the same an old airport.:ohno:
Yes, we have been made aware of your sentiments towards those "incompetent gomen officers who cannot do the job and just sit there to fill up the quota" - many times over in fact

At risk of seemingly trying to 'defend' these rogue gomen officers (which is the least of my intentions I assure you), can I ask what you tuaran2020, would you propose to be done so as to develop Sandakan, from industrial viewpoint and tourism in particular, to the point that air traffic demand justifies investment in constructing a new airport for Sandakan
(Hang on, that means you have to subscribe to my belief that 'the end has to justify the means', rather than yours of 'the means justifying the end')

I believe this will contribute much more richly to this particular thread than our (quite frankly) overdone debate on whether a new build SDK is necessary. You have your rather parochial (in my opinion only) wish to see a new SDK, I have an opposing opinion, period :)

Very simple question to you:
Are you telling me yourself do traveling to the same country again and again in your whole life?
Not my "whole life" as such, but we used to do that when we were kids
To HKG inevitably in fact
Until we realized the place is very very expensive
Point being ?
There are likely many of those "HK descendants living in Sandakan in desparate need of a SDK-HKG flight" who may think twice before splashing out a fortune to visit their relatives and supposedly ancestral home

skybird

March 26th, 2010, 03:41 PM

Sandakan with more population and more tourism products to offer than any towns in sarawak especially miri, bintulu and sibu. Don't u think that Sandakan deserve a bigger airport?

Sandakan as well known as little HK and as we all know that there are alot of HK decendent living in HK and they desperately need direct flight from SDK-HK as an example. If you understand chinese and watch HK series, there are many times they are talking and promoting about Sandakan!

Sandakan used to be a very popular town during 60th and 70th and their development will not lose out to KL during that time. Why their development so slow now and being throw away few hundred miles by KL ?

Sandakan has more than 450,000 population as we all know that the road system and connectivity among towns are suck in Sabah and plus we must take flight in order to get to other places and why Sanadakan do not deserve a bigger airport? In term of tourism, Sandakan has more to offer than any towns sarawak. :banana:

As I said, its all depends who run the show! :ohno:

i checked MAHB website...Passengers volume at Miri airport ( 1.5 million) twice than sandakan airport( 0.6 mill)...

AFL

March 26th, 2010, 04:14 PM

So, it all goes back to market forces. Sandakan and the rest of East Coast region should bank on KKIA first to aggressively promote tourism (or any other economic sectors). KKIA, now being the second busiest airport in Malaysia and receives the third highest international arrivals into Malaysia after KLIA and Penang.

I am not saying that Sandakan, Tawau or even Lahad Datu airports cannot have direct flights that bypass KKIA, but i think it is a better strategy now to reap the advantage that KKIA now stands to promote East Coast tourism...in the future, when the tourism and other economic sectors in the East Coast becoming more vibrant than it is now, I think that will justify for direct flights...

Sabahkid

March 27th, 2010, 02:55 AM

I would hazard a guess of many more years than that. Why ?
a) SDK is no where near it's current built up capacity, terminal nor runway wise
b) When terminal capacity is breached, ample space available for expansion, or 'redevelopment' as they are so fond of calling it nowadays
c) When runway capacity is breached, can be alleviated by construction of parallel taxiways, space there also available for this purpose
d) Runway length not likely to be a restrictive factor as the current one is already able to accomodate the largest class of aircraft likely to serve SDK (B737/A320 category)

Reality is that SDK will likely remain as the point at the protruding end of a spoke, rather than the point known as the hub, in the 'hub and spoke' train of thought. Meaning, SDK will not likely be entertaining any serious widebody movements anytime in the forseeable future. Not unless someone decide the place needs to be done up to cater for 'once in a blue moon' visits by B747's or in time to come, A380's - that I will admit cannot be accounted for by rational reasoning

The way is clear for foreign airlines to serve SDK I believe. SIN-SDK is opened up, no airline thinks it's profitable to fly
I may be wrong, but HKG-SDK could also be possible, no airline thinks it's profitable to fly
Zest Air/Asian Spirit - are they still serving SDK ?
If scheduled traffic rights is the issue, charter flights are much less restrictive - SDK has seen what, two such flights so far ? Do you know of any more being planned ?
If it is profitable, meaning there is demand for it, airlines will find a way to reap the profit (capitalism you see)

In fact, I don't see any domestic routes done other than SDK-BKI and SDK-KUL
What about SDK-JHB ? SDK-PEN ? SDK-KCH ?

For clarification sake, I am not against building a new SDK airport if the traffic justifies it. You don't just build it in the (futile ?) hope that foreign airlines will come flocking in just for the sake of trying out a spanking new airport
You and I, as contributors to Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (I am assuming you pay taxes) will then end up as rather foolish investors in the newest, grandest Malaysian white elephant named 'Sandakan International Airport'

Yes, we have been made aware of your sentiments towards those "incompetent gomen officers who cannot do the job and just sit there to fill up the quota" - many times over in fact

At risk of seemingly trying to 'defend' these rogue gomen officers (which is the least of my intentions I assure you), can I ask what you tuaran2020, would you propose to be done so as to develop Sandakan, from industrial viewpoint and tourism in particular, to the point that air traffic demand justifies investment in constructing a new airport for Sandakan
(Hang on, that means you have to subscribe to my belief that 'the end has to justify the means', rather than yours of 'the means justifying the end')

I believe this will contribute much more richly to this particular thread than our (quite frankly) overdone debate on whether a new build SDK is necessary. You have your rather parochial (in my opinion only) wish to see a new SDK, I have an opposing opinion, period :)

Not my "whole life" as such, but we used to do that when we were kids
To HKG inevitably in fact
Until we realized the place is very very expensive
Point being ?
There are likely many of those "HK descendants living in Sandakan in desparate need of a SDK-HKG flight" who may think twice before splashing out a fortune to visit their relatives and supposedly ancestral home

I do subscribe to tbc's view thru out this "Sandakan airport saga" - mainly because the current airport and site can accomodate much more than current traffic volume. With so called redevelopment, current SDK should be able to handle more than 3 million pax movement annually.

The RM100 millions upgrade plan announced sometime last year (news article was posted in this thread earlier) did actually plan for an extended runway length to 8500 ft and a parallel taxiway from the parking apron to the eastern end of the runway, although the exact scope of terminal upgrade is not known. This will increase the airport capacity considerably. Unless there is a policy change, we will struggle to fill the capacity. I even once suggested to my DUN rep (who was also the deputy chief minister) that we should lobby to make SDK the hub for east coast of Sabah. But no prize for guessing what the reply was (or rather the lack of any).

Even with the current facilities, SDK is more than adequate to handle any 737 and A320 family types of aircrafts. Occasionally, SDK also receives chartered flights using 757 and A330 (MyTravel A330-200 was at SDK as part of a world wide tour 2 years ago), and not to forget Brunei Sultan's 767 was at SDK last year during his official visit to Sabah.

Absolutely agreed about the numbers of "white elephants" we have in this country. An airport the size of BKI in the UK will be able to handle easily up to 15 millions pax a year with a single runway operation! Even KUL is struggling to come up with this numbers if we take away the LCCT. As for those "useless gomen" who are just there for gaji buta, i think it is an entirely different discussion for a different forum. Just make sure all of us are registered voters!!

btw tbc, i'm an aviation enthusiat too, an infrequent contributor to malaysianwings forum. Do u do any spotting? BKI or SDK?

cheers

tbc

March 27th, 2010, 03:47 AM

..... and not to forget Brunei Sultan's 767 was at SDK last year during his official visit to Sabah.

..... Do u do any spotting? BKI or SDK?

I thought Sir Sultan did not make it to SDK after all due to weather issues ?

Only very occasionally nowadays, and only when my schedule as official chauffeur to my kids allow :)
I stay in KK, too troublesome to go spotting at SDK !

For rm100M and if we use Melaka International Airport as benchmark, don't think there will be much change left the runway extension and taxiway construction for anything more than a slap of new paint for the terminal building :)

AFL

March 27th, 2010, 07:25 AM

Absolutely agreed about the numbers of "white elephants" we have in this country. An airport the size of BKI in the UK will be able to handle easily up to 15 millions pax a year with a single runway operation!

cheers

Gatwick can handle 30+million passengers on a single runway (the airport has two runways, but the other one is not operational unless for emergency or repair of main runway)...but the terminal must be able to cope with the capacity...

Sabahkid

March 27th, 2010, 07:52 AM

I thought Sir Sultan did not make it to SDK after all due to weather issues ?

Only very occasionally nowadays, and only when my schedule as official chauffeur to my kids allow :)
I stay in KK, too troublesome to go spotting at SDK !

For rm100M and if we use Melaka International Airport as benchmark, don't think there will be much change left the runway extension and taxiway construction for anything more than a slap of new paint for the terminal building :)

The sultan did not make it at the end, but his Royal Brunei B762 was at SDK a few days earlier for a dry run (just as i was in the waiting lounge for my flight to KUL, imagine how delightful i was).

If i remember correctly, the runway and taxiway will cost around RM 75 millions... plus RM 5 millions++ for consultancy fees..... then u left with about 20millions or so for the terminal, theoritically (u know what i mean).

tbc

March 27th, 2010, 02:39 PM

..... but his Royal Brunei B762 was at SDK a few days earlier for a dry run
Ah, but that would hardly be a good example to illustrate what SDK's current runway is capable of accomodating :)
Load was probably negligible, minimal fuel required for short hop from/to BWN - take off roll and climb out must have been spectacular !
Delightful would be an understatement I imagine !

The MyTravel 332 would have been much more of a challenge I think
I believe it had a full load (in charter configuration some more) and fuel was required for more than a short hop to the next destination (can't remember where to though)

If it's any consolation to tuaran2020, there is this story going round that although big planes (widebodies) can land at Miri airport, the equipment is not available there to cater to such big planes. How true, I don't know
SDK has proven it is able to accomodate widebodies
So, it's not always true that bigger and newer is better
Bayan Lepas in Penang is the best example :)

If i remember correctly, the runway and taxiway will cost around RM 75 millions... plus RM 5 millions++ for consultancy fees..... then u left with about 20millions or so for the terminal, theoritically (u know what i mean).
Sounds about right if one is to apply the 20:80 principle :lol:
But then, what do I know about such things ?! :)

Sabahkid

March 28th, 2010, 03:21 AM

Ah, but that would hardly be a good example to illustrate what SDK's current runway is capable of accomodating :)
Load was probably negligible, minimal fuel required for short hop from/to BWN - take off roll and climb out must have been spectacular !
Delightful would be an understatement I imagine !

U are rite... it doesn't really test the capacity of SDK runway due to the light load. I remember reading some govt newsletter years ago that SDK current runway was design to accomodate A300 (that's the model MAS was operating at that time). I guess A300 was a direct competitor to the B767 model?

The MyTravel 332 would have been much more of a challenge I think
I believe it had a full load (in charter configuration some more) and fuel was required for more than a short hop to the next destination (can't remember where to though)

I have a copy of the Airliner World Sept 2007 issue with me, which featured the trip report for MyTravel world tour. For security reason, it mentioned that SDK was the only airport on their tour that they can take photos on the air side! So SDK was of course, featured quite prominently in that TR haha....

To qoute from the capt, "the airport at S'kan was just about big enough to take the A330, with a runway length of 6800ft on RWY 08and the small turning circles at each end to manoeurve the big jet around."

Actually, the MyTravel A330 flew over from Sydney via BKI, due to accomodation issue (not enough rooms in S'kan to cater to all overnight pax), though they were here specifically to visit Sepilok.

Sounds about right if one is to apply the 20:80 principle :lol:
But then, what do I know about such things ?! :)

as an civil engineer who works for contractors, RM 20 millions can actually do quite a fair bit. But then again, what do i know about these things ya? haha...

cheers

Sabahkid

March 29th, 2010, 10:06 AM

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/37217

If i remember correctly, Antara Travels & Tours from Sandakan has been one of the top five agents for Dragonair for years...... so i guess the demand for SDK-HKG is not too bad ya haha.......

I personally went to HKG twice with them when i was a kid...

cheers

ntly1

March 30th, 2010, 09:09 AM

- deleted double posting -

ntly1

March 30th, 2010, 09:10 AM

tbc

March 30th, 2010, 12:12 PM

I believe there should not be a problem for the demand for SDK-HK or even SDK-Aus or SDK-Sing, if the government put some efforts to promote direct flight to SDK from those place instead of everything go through KK. in fact, I found in some HK forums which talk about travelling, it caused me a surprise that many of them actually talk a lot about Sandakan on the eco-tourism packages like Kinabatangan tour, Pulau Lankayan, turtle island & Sepilok. unfortunately, many feel that it is a bit inconveneint that they have to transit through KK.

I guess the upgrade of the SDK airport project should go ahead to extend the runway, it could be critical as sometime it is a bit to short for wider body aircraft during bad weather. e.g the brunei sultan trip had to be cancelled because it was considered "unsafe" landing for his plane in bad weather on the existing runway which is not long enough.

You are likely also somewhat jumping the gun like tuaran2020 (in my opinion)

The government, whether Sabah or federal, should instead be now promoting and providing incentives for construction of proper resort class hotels in Sandakan, I say. Apart from the awareness efforts that is done now

Note Sabahkid's earlier observation about insufficient accomodation to cater for a single load of A332 ? If you cannot house them in the type of accodation your guests want, why bother building an airport to cater for widebodies to start with ?

With due respect to the developers of SHS Sheraton and mushrooming boutique hotels, they may not exactly cater to what your typical leisure tourists look forward to - white sandy beaches, resort class accomodation, etc. (Does Sandakan have anymore white sandy beaches left, that is another question) With proper accomodation, your guests will likely stay for longer too, certainly longer than those day return trips to Sepilok from KK - meaning they spend more money in Sandakan itself and more facilities will then be developed to entice them to stay longer ..... the cycle perpetuates itself

Much as I admire your optimism about "demand for SDK-HK or even SDK-Aus or SDK-Sing" - no, I don't think there is sufficient traffic to viably mount scheduled services (not unless they are heavily subsidized by someone) At a stretch, seasonal charters could be done to test the market (after SHS come online mind you) And the class of aircraft likely to be used ? Not heavies in my opinion !

As already noted, Sir Sultan's aborted royal flight to SDK should not be considered typical of what normal commercial airline operations entail, not by a very large margin !

Another aspect to be considered - the growing impact of airline alliances on how air carriers operate, the 'hub and spoke' model being the likely scene in future. An example put in very crude perspective, it makes no sense for Dragonair or MAS to do a once weekly SDK/HKG flight (a frequency that is not likely to be profitable due to inevitable overhead costs) when those intending HKG/SDK and SDK/HKG passengers can be profitably transitted via BKI on existing services. Again, it comes back to inherent advantage of connectivity

Interestingly, was just alerted to a NTV7 piece on Sandakan few moments ago :) I think an air link with Davao will prove more viable

ntly1

March 30th, 2010, 04:51 PM

You are likely also somewhat jumping the gun like tuaran2020 (in my opinion)

The government, whether Sabah or federal, should instead be now promoting and providing incentives for construction of proper resort class hotels in Sandakan, I say. Apart from the awareness efforts that is done now

Note Sabahkid's earlier observation about insufficient accomodation to cater for a single load of A332 ? If you cannot house them in the type of accodation your guests want, why bother building an airport to cater for widebodies to start with ?

With due respect to the developers of SHS Sheraton and mushrooming boutique hotels, they may not exactly cater to what your typical leisure tourists look forward to - white sandy beaches, resort class accomodation, etc. (Does Sandakan have anymore white sandy beaches left, that is another question) With proper accomodation, your guests will likely stay for longer too, certainly longer than those day return trips to Sepilok from KK - meaning they spend more money in Sandakan itself and more facilities will then be developed to entice them to stay longer ..... the cycle perpetuates itself

Much as I admire your optimism about "demand for SDK-HK or even SDK-Aus or SDK-Sing" - no, I don't think there is sufficient traffic to viably mount scheduled services (not unless they are heavily subsidized by someone) At a stretch, seasonal charters could be done to test the market (after SHS come online mind you) And the class of aircraft likely to be used ? Not heavies in my opinion !

As already noted, Sir Sultan's aborted royal flight to SDK should not be considered typical of what normal commercial airline operations entail, not by a very large margin !

Another aspect to be considered - the growing impact of airline alliances on how air carriers operate, the 'hub and spoke' model being the likely scene in future. An example put in very crude perspective, it makes no sense for Dragonair or MAS to do a once weekly SDK/HKG flight (a frequency that is not likely to be profitable due to inevitable overhead costs) when those intending HKG/SDK and SDK/HKG passengers can be profitably transitted via BKI on existing services. Again, it comes back to inherent advantage of connectivity

Interestingly, was just alerted to a NTV7 piece on Sandakan few moments ago :) I think an air link with Davao will prove more viable

^^hehehe...I think it is still needed for the runway to be extended and do little upgrade for the terminal which is enough... no point to argue with u because the government (not u & me) already got plan to upgrade it..we are just waiting it to start :)

I do agree sandakan needs more resort kind of facilities to enhance it attraction but not necessary white sand beach resort (so boring..only beach resorts)....it can be different kind of resort may be resort in the forest with world class golf course, etc !! however as i said many actually come to Sandakan do not only go for sepilok only, many also go to sukau, kinabatangan river eco-tourism trip and even pulau lankayan for diving and turtle island!!! not that boring only white sand beach!!

therefore many come to sandakan by AIR but does not mean they will stay in sandakan long. in that case, airport will still busy eventhough not many will stay long in Sandakan! therefore we may not need white sand beach resort!!

tbc

March 31st, 2010, 05:04 AM

... no point to argue with u because the government (not u & me) already got plan to upgrade it..we are just waiting it to start :)
I see it's all systems 'go' for an impending snap election then :lol:
Don't 'argue' lah, just discuss is good enough :)

I do agree sandakan needs more resort kind of facilities to enhance it attraction but not necessary white sand beach resort (so boring..only beach resorts)....it can be different kind of resort may be resort in the forest with world class golf course, etc !! however as i said many actually come to Sandakan do not only go for sepilok only, many also go to sukau, kinabatangan river eco-tourism trip and even pulau lankayan for diving and turtle island!!! not that boring only white sand beach!!
Good call, at least there is someone else who doesn't share the "how are we going to compete with Bali and Phuket" mentality ! Sandakan's forte, it is generally acknowledged, lies in the eco-tourism category, not what Bali and Phuket and countless other such places can already offer in great abundance

But one has to be very careful in that this category of eco-tourism will not be sustainable if the fragile product you are marketing cannot withstand the inevitable impact of mass tourism. Which probably means you have to cater for lower number of guests and charge a slight premium

But whoops, this will be counter productive to an argument for increasing air traffic demand to justify a new airport for Sandakan ! :nuts:

therefore many come to sandakan by AIR but does not mean they will stay in sandakan long. in that case, airport will still busy eventhough not many will stay long in Sandakan! therefore we may not need white sand beach resort!!
I tried, but I just can't make out what you're trying to say - please pardon my ignorance

ntly1

March 31st, 2010, 06:21 AM

^^ sorry my statement might confuse you. What I meant was because most of the times those tourists won't spend many days in Sandakan Town eventhough they fly to Sandakan. The reason they fly to Sandakan because it is their transit point to their destinations like Sukau, Kinabatagan River or Pulua Selingan, Pulau Lankayan or Sepilok. They may spend more days at those places than in Sandakan town. That's why I say we might not need any white sand beach resorts in Sandakan because we have different tourism sectors as compared to KK but of course it won't be a bad thing if we got one as it can enhance our tourism attraction!!

That's why the airport is still needed to be upgraded eventhough we don't have world class resorts yet.

But one has to be very careful in that this category of eco-tourism will not be sustainable if the fragile product you are marketing cannot withstand the inevitable impact of mass tourism. Which probably means you have to cater for lower number of guests and charge a slight premium.

hehehe...actually I don't see any lesser of tourists as what you said!! in fact there are still mass tourists around this sectors! in fact I saw more promotions of Sandakan eco-tourism in Europe by European travel agencies which attracts them more than any white sand beach resorts in KK, because for those foreigners, they can find many such beach resorts which are much better than what we have in Sabah, eg. in Spain, Mediterranean Sea, Australia, Carribean Sea and even Thailand & Bali etc.

But whoops, this will be counter productive to an argument for increasing air traffic demand to justify a new airport for Sandakan !

^^Pardon me, we don't have a new airport project. it is just a upgrading project!! hahaha

tbc

March 31st, 2010, 03:01 PM

hehehe...actually I don't see any lesser of tourists as what you said!! in fact there are still mass tourists around this sectors!

Believe me, what tourism volume you're seeing in Sandakan at the moment cannot be considered 'mass' by any measure !

And as I've indicated before, you really do not want to cater to too big a volume too soon, at risk of damaging the very product you're selling. Quite similar to approach taken at Sipadan, though numbers obviously not so restrictive !

It's a niche market that needs plenty of care and patience to nurture it to maturity. Sepilok is now very well established. A few more successes like that and east coast Sabah can probably be marketed as a stand alone product, as opposed to a tag on to KK as commonly done now

Sabahkid

April 1st, 2010, 04:20 AM

ntly1

April 5th, 2010, 11:33 AM

But my take on this is if we want tourism to contribute significantly to our economiy, we got to start fishing for corporate travellers. Leisure travellers are highly seasonal, and their spending always quite limited. We must push for more corporate functions/events/seminars etc if we really want something bigger.

^^yes, hopefully the state government will push SDK as a main location in Sabah for such sector as an additional contribution to SDK economy. Presently most of those functions/events are held in KK!

Sabahkid

April 11th, 2010, 11:41 AM

Old Town Coffee opening soon right next to Secret Recipe.... seems like the place is becoming a cluster of new cafes.....

cheers

tbc

April 13th, 2010, 07:02 AM

The RM100 millions upgrade plan announced sometime last year (news article was posted in this thread earlier) did actually plan for an extended runway length to 8500 ft and a parallel taxiway from the parking apron to the eastern end of the runway, although the exact scope of terminal upgrade is not known

This from the Daily Express on Sunday
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i293/bingchu/de20100411.jpg
Please refer last paragraph at bottom right corner

Looks like terminal refurbishment and taxiway construction only, no runway extension this time round

There was also a very good read on the Discover Borneo Conference in the Borneo Post on the same day - it's a big page and not able to scan it, nor could I find it online. Some interesting observations there as to how to develop Sabah tourism, not just government policies but also from foreign perspectives

Sabahkid

April 13th, 2010, 09:54 AM

This from the Daily Express on Sunday
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i293/bingchu/de20100411.jpg
Please refer last paragraph at bottom right corner

Looks like terminal refurbishment and taxiway construction only, no runway extension this time round

There was also a very good read on the Discover Borneo Conference in the Borneo Post on the same day - it's a big page and not able to scan it, nor could I find it online. Some interesting observations there as to how to develop Sabah tourism, not just government policies but also from foreign perspectives

I hope this so called deputy minister knows exactly what he is talking about......

1) Since when people fly to LD to get to Sipadan?
2) MASWings already operating their ATR between BKI & LD isn't it? That's the only fight destination out of LD and we need to build a f@#$ing new airport to cater for that.
3) Just hope the SDK runway will be extended to 8500ft as reported earlier.

cheers

tbc

April 13th, 2010, 10:43 AM

That's the only fight destination out of LD and we need to build a f@#$ing new airport to cater for that.

Probably another of those aspiring hub airport :lol:
However, primary justification is likely the RM300 million price tag, more specifically a portion of it :)

I hope this so called deputy minister knows exactly what he is talking about......
.....
3) Just hope the SDK runway will be extended to 8500ft as reported earlier.

Technically you should be hoping said deputy minister doesn't know what he is talking about, not the whole story anyway :)

Sabahkid

April 14th, 2010, 01:39 PM

Probably another of those aspiring hub airport :lol:
However, primary justification is likely the RM300 million price tag, more specifically a portion of it :)

Technically you should be hoping said deputy minister doesn't know what he is talking about, not the whole story anyway :)

haha... u r rite....

I reckon a better way to spend the 300 millions dollars will be to use the $$ to upgrade the Sandakan-Lahad Datu road to a 110km/h expressway, hence making LD only a mere 1 hr + away by road. This way, we can make SDK to serve both the S'kan & LD population, just like TWU serving Tawau & Semporna at the moment. Better road, better utilisation of our airport, WIN-WIN situation!!

cheers

AFL

April 14th, 2010, 02:12 PM

dekechemist

April 16th, 2010, 02:14 AM

haha... u r rite....

I reckon a better way to spend the 300 millions dollars will be to use the $$ to upgrade the Sandakan-Lahad Datu road to a 110km/h expressway, hence making LD only a mere 1 hr + away by road. This way, we can make SDK to serve both the S'kan & LD population, just like TWU serving Tawau & Semporna at the moment. Better road, better utilisation of our airport, WIN-WIN situation!!

cheers

omg, I love your idea, this is one of the thing that I always try to point out to all forumers, and annoyingly there were some 'foreign' forumers (these forumers prolly never been to Sabah) were so insisted with the idea of railway network, either for cargo/shipping or transportation, which I hate it so much. Is it really hard to read the contour map readily available on GoogleMaps? It can shows you clearly the type of landscape Sabah has, you can clearly see where does the Crocker range running from and to, not to forget the Trus Madi range and Mantapok range. Unless Sabah has a trillion dollar ready to be spent, there's no doubt to build 100km tunnel penetrating those mountain ranges. Ouh, a trillion dollars is even more than enough to build every single type of advance infrastructure all across Sabah. They take Europe as a model because the whole continent has a very dense and well developed railway network and forgetting the fact that Europe and Sabah has a very different geographical characteristic, economic system and so much more.

tbc

April 16th, 2010, 04:51 AM

Sounds a good idea having a proper road system linking Sandakan and Lahad Datu - in fact why not go all the way to Tawau too ?
Aviation wise, you can probably then have an airport about mid point to serve the whole of east coast Sabah, yes, a hub airport :)
Sandakan and Tawau folks will certainly make much noise if they have to travel so far to 'their airport' but it may well be the only way for these areas to reach the population mass necessary to justify air connectivity with places other than KK and KL

tuaran2010

April 16th, 2010, 09:57 AM

Sabahkid

April 16th, 2010, 10:11 AM

dekechemist

April 16th, 2010, 09:45 PM

The new SABAH gomen (NEXT GE) should build a new Highway linking Kudat-KK-SANDAKAN-LD-Tawau like the North south highway in WM. Where is our OIL, GAS, Timber, and Palm Oil money go?????? :bash:

The current gomen is rotten to the core and simply incompetence and corrupted.

We have been independent for the past 47 years BUT till today all the towns in Sabah still linking by a Jalan Kerbau road. Patches up THE HOLE here and there. The MOST sad thing is some of our kampungs not even have a basic utilities supply and seal road. :nuts:

Our cars price in Sabah@Malaysia are the MOST EXPENSIVE in the region if compared to Indonesia and Thailand. The gomen only knew to squeeze the POOR RAKYAT $$$ for their own sake. :ohno:

This is what I've been thinking - a stretch of superhighway starting from Sarawak-Sabah border goes way up until a lil bit 10 miles south of KK and curving to east, running through the Crocker range and some other ranges, continue almost on a straight line towards the junction of Beluran-Sandakan, diverting again down to south east like it's heading to LD and at the end Tawau. This 4 lanes dual-carriageway will be code-designated as E1 which stands for Expressway-1. You can use any other terms if you like such as spurs, motorway, or autoroute. expressway/motorway/autoroute must always be 4 or more lanes of dual-carriageway

Another highway will be the extension of the Sapulut-Kalabakan (the original contrator of this highway can go to HELL), starting in Tawau going its original path that have been built, go through Keningau, continue straight north towards Tuaran then KBelud till Kudat as the endpoint. This strecth of road should be code-designated as Sabah State Highway-3 or simply SA3.

A peripheral road will serve a link from KMarudu heading south through Ranau, Tambunan through Keningau until Tenom as the endpoint. This peripheral road will be called SA31.

An auxilliary road will link Kota Marudu through Pitas and make a huge round along the northern eastcoast all the way till Beluran, this will be called SA14

Type of roads and nomenclature. All expressway trunk road should follow the rule stated above, 4 or more lanes dual-carriageway, depends on local population it serves. The state highway however can change its carriageway way depends on the local population, so to say, should be dual-carriageway on town/city area, and 2-lanes/3-lanes single carriageway. The first digit represent the digit name of the original highway, the second digit represent the function of the highway as a peripheral/auxiliarry highway.

all gravel road will be sealed and code-designated as ER (estate road), all estate road serves the rural area where population is small and the main economic activities are plantation/farming.

wow, imagine if we all have this, that would so enjoyable to drive around Sabah.^^

tuaran2010

April 19th, 2010, 05:15 AM

The current gomen time are numbered. We had given ample time for them to prove their worth but FAILED terribly.

How can the contractor who MAKAN DUIT RM500 million Tawau Kalabakan - sapulut road can run away un-scratch? This are all from our TAX PAYER $$$$. :bash:

tbc

April 22nd, 2010, 12:22 PM

Sabahkid

May 25th, 2010, 11:33 PM

A little extra info on the cruise that docked at Sandakan port earlier last month....

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/in-a-sea-of-silver-service-20100513-v0as.html

It is just a shame that we don't have any facilities to cater to such cruises that drop by, then again, the frequency of such visits does not warrant a dedicated cruise terminal to be constructed i guess. The worst is that our port at Karamunting is located at that part of the town that not many want to go to!!

cheers

ntly1

May 30th, 2010, 03:12 PM

I would like to do a bit of tourism promotion for Sandakan :) according to Tripadvisor: Things to do in Sandakan, the top 7 best attractions!!!

Link: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g303997-Activities-Sandakan_Sabah.html

Tripadvisor : Things to do in Sandakan

The ranking is as below:

1) Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d1059096-Reviews-Labuk_Bay_Proboscis_Monkey_Sanctuary-Sandakan_Sabah.html

2) Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d1231137-Reviews-Sandakan_Rainforest_Discovery_Centre_RDC-Sandakan_Sabah.html

3) Turtle Island Park
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d450999-Reviews-Turtle_Island_Park-Sandakan_Sabah.html

4) Sandakan Prison Camp Memorial
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d455044-Reviews-Sandakan_Prison_Camp_Memorial-Sandakan_Sabah.html

5) Sepilok Nature Resort / Orang Utan Sanctuary
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d451000-Reviews-Sepilok_Nature_Resort_Orang_Utan_Sanctuary-Sandakan_Sabah.html

6) Agnes Newton Keith Home
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d450997-Reviews-Agnes_Newton_Keith_Home-Sandakan_Sabah.html

7) Sandakan Rainforest Park
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g303997-d1007502-Reviews-Sandakan_Rainforest_Park-Sandakan_Sabah.html

Sabahkid

June 1st, 2010, 06:06 AM

Been there once last year...... worth paying a visit...

The Star - Tree-top canopy walk extended

SANDAKAN: The tree-top canopy walk here is set to become a popular bird watching spot, now that it has been lengthened from 140m to 300m.

Completed at a cost of about RM3mil, the extension of the canopy walk project at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) was funded under the Sabah Development Corridor initiative.

Sabah Forest Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said work had been completed six months ahead of schedule.

Mannan also thanked Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman for his support, adding that the state had recently approved an additional RM2.5mil for the construction of a 100-seat theatre at the centre.

“The work is in progress and we hope it can be completed by October, in time for second Borneo Bird Festival for which the RDC will once again be the venue,” he said.

The first portion of the tree-top walk was opened to the public in March 2009 and quickly became popular in Sandakan drawing bird watchers from all over the world.

Last year, it received about 35,000 visitors.

cheers

Sabahkid

June 2nd, 2010, 10:18 AM

Sabah is world’s top eco-tourism spotJune 2, 2010, 2:31pm
Rainforest at Danum Valley (photo by Cede Prudente)Sabah, Malaysia—The Malaysian state of Sabah has further bolstered its image as the world’s eco-tourism haven with the recent discovery of new wildlife species and its increased tourist arrivals.

The discovery, made by the Heart of Borneo project of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, found 123 new exotic species, 67 plants, 29 invertebrates, 17 fish, five frogs, three snakes, two lizards, and a brand new species of bird.

Most of these animals are found in Sabah, which occupies the northern part of Borneo, the world’s third biggest island.

Incepted in 2007, the project aims to conserve the rainforests of Borneo Island, which scientific estimates place at 130 million years old, the oldest in the world, and is home to ten species of primates, more than 350 birds, 150 reptiles and amphibians, 10,000 endemic plants, and 10% of the world’s known orchid species.

The Heart of Borneo project hopes to conserve 220,000 square kilometers of rainforest, described by noted evolution scientist Charles Darwin as “one great luxuriant hothouse made by nature for herself.”

The undertaking is supported by the governments of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei which share Borneo.

Sabah boasts of 70,097 hectares of wildlife, bird and marine sanctuaries, 909,401 hectares of forest reserves, and 265,749 hectares of parks, including coral reefs, which are well managed by the state government agencies.

According to Hector Ceballos-Lascurain, ecotourism consultant to the United Nations, the new findings will further strengthen Sabah’s position as a prime ecotourism destination.

Wildlife studies made by the National Geographic revealed that 10 square kilometers of Sabah has more flora and fauna than North America and Europe combined. The state also belongs to the Coral Triangle, comprised mostly of Southeast Asian nations, which is the center to three-quarters of the world’s marine biodiversity.

On the tourism front, the Malaysian state was ranked as one of Southeast Asia’s top 10 tourist spots in 2009, with 5.4 million tourist arrivals, and took second spot in Global Traveler Tested Awards’ list of best travel destinations.

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s capital city, is host to the 75,370-hectare Mt. Kinabalu Park, home of Southeast Asia’s tallest peak and a Unesco World Heritage Site, as well as the marine parks of Tunku Adbul Rahman and Pulau Tiga.

Meanwhile, the eastern city of Sandakan has been dubbed Sabah’s nature city because of its nature-oriented attractions such as the Sepilok Urang Utan Rehabilitation Center, the Rainforest Discovery Center, Gomantong Cave, Tabin Wildlife Reserve, and the Maliau Basin and Danum Conservation Areas.

Also in the city is the Turtle Islands Park, one of the world’s most important nesting areas of sea turtles because of the massive conservation efforts by the Sabah Wildlife Department. Composed of three small islands, it is situated near the waters of the southern Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi, where the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA) was formed in 1997, the world’s only trans-frontier protected area for sea turtles.

Sources at the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) say that the TIHPA has been inactive for the past seven years, and they are looking forward to reactivating it with their Philippine counterparts.

Sandakan’s iconic tourist spot is the 540-kilometer long Kinabatangan River in Sukau district which has the largest concentration of wildlife in all of Malaysia. A favorite site for wildlife watching and photography, it is habitat to tropical animals such as hornbills, various bird species, proboscis monkeys, and the Bornean pygmy elephant, the world’s smallest elephant species.

Sandakan will also host the second International Bird Festival in October which will gather bird watchers and conservationists from all over Asia to determine collaborative efforts to conserve the remaining endemic species in the region.

Cognizant of its biodiversity, the SWD recently set up the Wildlife Rescue Unit to undertake wildlife rescue and translocation operations throughout the state. The first of its kind in the country, it will also carry out enforcement, monitoring, and liaison with the stakeholders such as WWF Malaysia and the plantation sector.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/260181/sabah-world-s-top-ecotourism-spot

cheers

penanglady

June 4th, 2010, 09:30 AM

sabahkid,
could u pls attach the google earth address for me, coz all the while i search at googlemap is not up to date de.

Check out the new updates from Google Earth for Sandakan.

Sabahkid

June 5th, 2010, 03:12 AM

not sure which site u went to but as long as u download the latest google earth then u shd be able to see the last update for S'kan, which is around middle of 2009 i think.

cheers

Sabahkid

June 5th, 2010, 03:42 AM

Some updates for SHS. Progress doesn't seem to be extremely fast.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bithiophene/4665167916/

http://www.aseanaproperties.com/progress_shs.htm

cheers

penanglady

June 8th, 2010, 05:45 AM

Glad to see sandakan start over the 1st shoping complex...before that, where u guy shoping mostly? kk? or fly over to west...

Sabahkid

June 8th, 2010, 10:14 AM

haha.... you can't assume everyone loves to shop and shopping centre is not the only place you can buy what you need..... personally, have not been to KK for years...

cheers

sepilok

June 9th, 2010, 03:57 AM

Any news about Sandakan Integrated Trade Exchange Terminal (SITExT)? Is this project stopped?

ntly1

June 9th, 2010, 04:05 PM

Glad to see sandakan start over the 1st shoping complex...before that, where u guy shoping mostly? kk? or fly over to west...

^^i guess more people going to KL or singapore for shopping than KK. for me i haven't been to KK for shopping more than 20 years. : )

ntly1

June 9th, 2010, 04:07 PM

Any news about Sandakan Integrated Trade Exchange Terminal (SITExT)? Is this project stopped?

^^have not heard anything for sometime!!! may be no more!!

penanglady

June 11th, 2010, 09:47 AM

ntly1

June 13th, 2010, 05:09 PM

ntly1,
oh really, how long distance/hour from Sandakan to KK? so, before the 1st shopping complex Giants, where u guy shop for daily use actually?
i am curious that why sandakan ppl not used to ride bike? is very less bike in the town.
Anyone of you can tell me that for outsider (not sabah & sarawak boong/citizen), what is the rules & regulation such as entry period not more than 3 months....& ect..

^^ by flight is just half an hour and driving will depend, it can take 5-8 hours. The reason many people go shopping at KL /Singapore because many people have their family members reside there and so visit them. some more KL / Singapore shopping experience is definitely better than KK.

Before having giant, we normally shop around at local hyper markets or super markets like Surveys, Tai Chung, Cash and Carry, etc. and actually all these local marts are sufficient to meet our basic needs. If for clothing we have many small boutique or D'image kind of shops. beside that we have many shops e.g electrical shops in town or at mile 4 where we can buy things we need. what we lack are those branded stuff like Prada, LV, Gucci, etc....hahaha....yes there are some immigration regulations for West Malaysian to stay in Sabah or Sarawak.

tuaran2010

June 14th, 2010, 05:48 AM

Sabah people normally will go to shop at jakarta@bandung, HK, Seoul, Taipei and Shenzen. No more going to KL lah. Thanks to Airasia, Dragon Air and Korean Air

I will be going sandakan this weekend. :banana:

penanglady

June 15th, 2010, 08:34 AM

penanglady

June 15th, 2010, 08:36 AM

^^ by flight is just half an hour and driving will depend, it can take 5-8 hours. The reason many people go shopping at KL /Singapore because many people have their family members reside there and so visit them. some more KL / Singapore shopping experience is definitely better than KK.

Before having giant, we normally shop around at local hyper markets or super markets like Surveys, Tai Chung, Cash and Carry, etc. and actually all these local marts are sufficient to meet our basic needs. If for clothing we have many small boutique or D'image kind of shops. beside that we have many shops e.g electrical shops in town or at mile 4 where we can buy things we need. what we lack are those branded stuff like Prada, LV, Gucci, etc....hahaha....yes there are some immigration regulations for West Malaysian to stay in Sabah or Sarawak.

if u guys know the immigration regulations, could u guys pls tell me, but west malaysia also consider is Malaysia, no passport needed....jz why...

penanglady

June 15th, 2010, 09:27 AM

[QUOTE=ntly1;58561861]^^ by flight is just half an hour and driving will depend, it can take 5-8 hours. The reason many people go shopping at KL /Singapore because many people have their family members reside there and so visit them. some more KL / Singapore shopping experience is definitely better than KK.

usually the ppl came from West Malaysia:tiasd:/Singaporean, what kind of occupation/business they are doing? i jz heard that sabahan will go to west malaysia find job....

i heard that most of the chinese are came from Hongkong at earlier year, so the language are using is Cantonese...., some of the mail said that the PBA are very expensive at sabah & sarawak, so that they force to unflush water after using toilet.

my family members said that the taste of food are tasteless & nor'spicy compare with West Malaysia, raw source like seafood & vege are very cheap but after process/cooked are very expensive. i just hv no idea about it.:?

is that Borneo Island is a tax free island? the cigratte & alchohol sure very cheap & choice ful.....

AFL

June 15th, 2010, 02:41 PM

^^OK, some of your opinion are half true. Borneo Island is not a tax free island, I am sure you mean Labuan Island because it's a duty-free Island. About the food, may its true, the taste may not as good as the ones in Peninsular, but our seafood is superb. IMO, shopping scene in KK should be alright to cater just for KKians and Bruneians, I am not going to promote Sabah as shopping heaven to people outside this region (Sabah/Brunei) because our natural attractions are major tourists draw.

some of the mail said that the PBA are very expensive at sabah & sarawak, so that they force to unflush water after using toilet.

Do you mean the water tariff here is expensive? Ermmm, can't comment on that. But, seriously? unflush toilet? I think its more like a bad habit or the toilet flush is not functional.

Sabahans come to Peninsular for job search or study. West Malaysians come to Sabah for business or study.

AFL

June 15th, 2010, 02:48 PM

if u guys know the immigration regulations, could u guys pls tell me, but west malaysia also consider is Malaysia, no passport needed....jz why...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but its all in the 20 point agreement when Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya (and Singapore who later withdrew) formed Malaysia. Sabah Immigration Department has autonomous power, meaning it controls Sabah immigration matters.

penanglady

June 17th, 2010, 04:56 AM

AFL,
Ya u r rite, 20 point agreement, but can i know what is that 20 point of agreement. Plzz.....
oh, only Labuan island is duty free island, beside duty free, is there any nice beach or water sport? about the seafood, i know that is the great & best quality superb fresh.....& i like seafood very much....jz until now i still not yet step on the sabah land....

the natural attractions is really attract a lot of tourism. & there is a lot new species found every month am i rite...

talk about the water tariff, for sure is expensive than west malaysia jz i no idea how they calculate. is really i read from a sabahan mail, maybe he stay far aways from city & his family is quite poor so that they really no flush water after the toilet....i jz felt that so pity on his life but no others.

borneo island really make the most earning for our country, but our goverment jz well to taking out the $ but didnt see any improvement for the lifestyle at borneo island, the improvement is all make by private company i guess.

one of my fren is sending back his child to sarawak for study coz the child mother is from sarawak, but he said the education there is much more different & too simple, no homework no test for the kids, so he decided to send back the kids to Penang.
one question here, "not all the education/book is standard among the whole malaysia goverment school?" i just have a lot of doubt here...

naccer

June 17th, 2010, 08:43 AM

You can know more about Labuan island in this thread http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=422305

Education and book are standard in whole Malaysia just like UPSR, PMR and SPM are all same in whole Malaysia.

penanglady

June 17th, 2010, 09:16 AM

tuaran2010

June 17th, 2010, 09:57 AM

where are you now? u not staying at Sandakan?

I am back to KK now. KK still is the BEST PLACE to live after visited all the cities (except kota baru) in malaysia. :banana:

ntly1

June 19th, 2010, 12:48 PM

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/2288/mapbig.jpg (http://img3.imageshack.us/i/mapbig.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

source: IJM website http://www.ijmland.com/

From the map we can see it is a four star hotel and not 3 star hotel beside the one avenue shopping mall. :)

AFL

June 19th, 2010, 05:50 PM

AFL,
Ya u r rite, 20 point agreement, but can i know what is that 20 point of agreement. Plzz.....
oh, only Labuan island is duty free island, beside duty free, is there any nice beach or water sport? about the seafood, i know that is the great & best quality superb fresh.....& i like seafood very much....jz until now i still not yet step on the sabah land....

talk about the water tariff, for sure is expensive than west malaysia jz i no idea how they calculate. is really i read from a sabahan mail, maybe he stay far aways from city & his family is quite poor so that they really no flush water after the toilet....i jz felt that so pity on his life but no others.

one of my fren is sending back his child to sarawak for study coz the child mother is from sarawak, but he said the education there is much more different & too simple, no homework no test for the kids, so he decided to send back the kids to Penang.
one question here, "not all the education/book is standard among the whole malaysia goverment school?" i just have a lot of doubt here...

The 20 point agreement, I think you can just google it.

As far as I concern, during my years in school in Sabah, the textbook is standardised across all Malaysia. if it is not standardised, then the UPSR, PMR and SPM exam questions might differ from state to state.

I can't comment on education levels in rural area in Sabah, but certainly the facilities are not up to par with the urban areas.

I do believe the high water tariff may due to the location of the settlement that is far away from large town, maybe the cost of supplying water in those areas are higher than, say, in KK, Sandakan or Tawau.

Labuan has very nice beaches, especially in northern part of the island.

penanglady

June 21st, 2010, 10:54 AM

AFL,
jz found from web, about the 20 agreement between north borneo & malaya.

Point 15: Education

The existing educational system of North Borneo should be maintained and for this reason it should be under state control.

ntly1

June 27th, 2010, 08:08 AM

with little known, a UK based company has tried to develop Pulau Berhala as a rock climbing destination for local or international rock climbers.

http://www.fieldskills.com.my/content/news_details.php?news_id=17

see also
http://www.climbborneo.blogspot.com/

It was published in an article by Daniel Holz in a well known rock climbing website www.climbing.com

http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/readerblogs/daniel_holz/daniel_holz_-_reader_blog_6/index.html

A pic of Berhala's cliff in his article

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5122/danielholz5easternshore.jpg (http://img198.imageshack.us/i/danielholz5easternshore.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

With all my best wishes, I hope this project will be successful to provide different kind of tourism attractions. The authorities should provide assistance and helps for this ambitious project if they are sincere to make Sandakan as a eco tourism destination.

Sabahkid

June 27th, 2010, 10:45 AM

AFL

June 27th, 2010, 04:35 PM

I have no idea how tall that cliff face is...can be another great tourism product for Sandakan and Sabah, and can be a good, safer alternative than scaling Mount Kinabalu's rather remote and dangerous cliffs!

tuaran2010

July 6th, 2010, 05:17 AM

I will be going to sandakan by month end. Wanted to see how is the development of the waterfront progress. :banana:

ntly1

July 10th, 2010, 03:48 AM

I saw William Tahar & Wong's property report 2010 (see the link below) mentioning that Sandakn Airport upgrading works has been listed in 10th Malaysia plan. hopefully it will start work soon. :)

http://www.wtw.com.my/2005/images/stories/pmr/2010/PMR2010.pdf

nazrey

July 11th, 2010, 11:41 AM

Tourism expo in Sandakan next month
9th July, 2010
http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/40343

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/mediafiles/picture/8777/0907-NST08a.jpg?1278645312

Low (centre) with Lim (left), Lau and
several foreign guests at the cocktail party.

SANDAKAN: An expo to showcase this east coast town’s tourism products will be held at the community centre here next month.

The organizing committee headed by Datuk John Lim Shau Ket, a member of the State Tourism Board of Directors, is in the early phase of preparations to stage one of the biggest tourism expo to be held in the district in recent years.

“We will be inviting the participation of industry players like hoteliers, travel agencies, tour and resort operators, and relevant government agencies,” Lim told New Sabah Times during the cocktail party hosted by Swiss Inn Waterfront Sandakan on Wednesday evening.

Lim said the organizers would also be promoting the Sandakan Education Hub by inviting the participation of higher learning institutes with the aim of attracting foreign students to study in Sandakan.

“We have so many attractions to offer to both domestic and foreign visitors. Apart from eco-tourism, Sandakan which will soon have a private medical centre, has the potentials to become a destination for health tourism,” Lim added.

He said the public and private sectors together with the local community have a role to play and must work closely towards achieving these goals.

“Teamwork is vital to ensure the sustainability and success of the tourism industry in Sandakan which is known as the gateway to Borneo’s eco tourism,” Lim said.

Meanwhile Swiss Inn Waterfront Sandakan manager Henry Low said the hotel hosted the cocktail party as an appreciation of the support and cooperation rendered (to the hotel) by the public and corporate sectors in Sandakan.

Nearly 100 invited guests attended the cocktail party at the hotel’s rooftop. They included Thomas Lau Chee Keong, the ICSD Ventures Sdn Bhd Consultant for Government Liaison and Public Affairs Projects, East Malaysia, bankers, hotel guests, tour operators and senior officials from the various government departments.