Chamber lauds RM1b tourism investments
Published on: Saturday, July 21, 2018
Semporna: The Semporna Chinese Chamber of Commerce expressed confidence that the new State Government led by Datuk Seri Shafie Abdal would bring the State's tourism industry to new heights.Its President Datuk Seri Panglima Gan Sau Wah said the recent disclosure by State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Jaujan Sambakong of RM1 billion investments in the tourism sector in Semporna was a clear indication of the Government's determination to further develop the State's tourism industry."We are very pleased with the development. In fact, last year, we had forwarded our chamber's resolutions to the previous government on this matter.
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"Among them include upgrading the tourism sector infrastructure and safety measures to ensure the wellbeing of our visitors, particularly from China and others," he said in his speech to welcome Chinese Vice Consul Liu Wei.Gan hoped the Consulate General, too, would forward their own views to the State Government on how to further improve security and safety aspects in order to ensure the wellbeing of China tourists."Semporna, indeed, is blessed with beautiful coral islands and spectacular scenery, rich with diversity and cultures. The Bajaus are long misunderstood by outsiders. They are actually kind and decent people. Although the Chinese community in Semporna account for only 1pc or about 3,000, we have been living peacefully with the Bajaus," he said.
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On another note, Gan, who is also the Past President of the Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce, hoped the China Consulate would lend a hand in ensuring the wellbeing of Chinese primary schools and pre-schools in the rural areas of Sabah. "It is not easy to develop and maintain such schools. For example, in Semporna, our chamber has established Nyuk Hwa Primary School and Zhong Hua Pre-school since 90 years ago, fully funded by our members.
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Up to now, we have spent more than RM10 million and yet we are still lacking in every aspect, including teacher training," he revealed.Meanwhile, Liu Wei said the number of tourists from China visiting Sabah had a great leap from 240,000 in previous years to 430,000 last year.He said the first quarter of this year saw the number of China tourist reaching 180,000 and that the Consulate expected this number to reach 500,000 by end of year."Semporna is well known in China. More than half of the China tourists chose Semporna as their destination here.When visiting a tourism jetty at one of the islands here, I saw 95pc of some 1,700 tourist there were from China," he said.According to him, the security level in the district and its surrounding areas too had improved greatly. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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