Kota Kinabalu: Thumbs-up to the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, Sabah Branch (IEM Sabah Branch) for having been selected to host the 42nd Conference of the Asean Federation of Engineering Organisations (CAFEO42) in Sabah from October 22 to 24, 2024, said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew.
It is a prestigious annual conference that brings together engineers, professionals, and experts from across 10 participating Asean countries to exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices in the field of engineering.
These are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Liew assured the organisers of support from her Ministry for the tourism segment of CAFEO42, during a courtesy call by a delegation from IEM Sabah Branch led by its Chairman Ir. Willy Chin Tet Fu, recently. Other members were Vice-Chairman Ir. Tan Kok Jyh, Honorary Secretary Ir. Paul Yap, Honorary Treasurer Ir. Dr Michael Tay, and Committee Members Ir. Jess Vun, Ir. Arius Yu and Ir. Jamilah Tukang.
“We believe the participants will be accompanied by spouses and family members who will take the opportunity to explore Sabah as a pre or post conference activity.
“We will consider the Sabah Branch’s request for tourism media content and a cultural show by the Sabah Cultural Board’s dance troupe,” Liew said.
On the pre-conference Mt Kinabalu expedition as planned, she advised the Event Organising Committee to make early reservations.
According to Chin, who is also CAFEO42 Organising Chairman, committee members from the 10 Asean engineering organisations will collectively hoist their respective country flags at the summit of the peak.
Briefing the Minister on the conference, he said CAFEO42 is categorised as a MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition) event, and this will put Sabah in the international spotlight, providing a platform to showcase its engineering achievements and environmental initiatives to participants from the Asean countries.
The conference will have a positive impact on Sabah, including increased tourism, revenue generation, hotel bookings and opportunities for local businesses and service providers, he added.
The IEM Sabah Branch Chairman said typically, CAFEO attracts an impressive attendance of about 1,200 to 1,500 participants, and this number is further augmented by accompanying spouses and family members, easily totalling about 3,000.
“Conference aside, participants and their families can explore Sabah’s tourism hotspots through recreational activities, such as island hopping and diving, apart from wildlife excursions and cultural tours.
“Hosting the event will not only boost local economic growth but also elevate the recognition of Sabah as a top travel destination around the world.
“If successful, CAFEO42 will definitely promote Sabah as an attractive destination for future international conferences and events, thus contributing to the growth of our tourism sector,” said Chin.
