Transformation efforts on Gaya Island villages lauded
KOTA KINABALU (July2): A colourful transformation is underway on Gaya Island as water villages embark on a community-driven journey to turn their homes into vibrant tourism attractions.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai commended the Meraki Daat Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, for actively involving Gaya Island residents in transforming their living spaces into potential community tourism attractions.
This follows Joniston's first meeting with the Meraki Daat Initiative in 2022, where he encouraged the group to incorporate a community-based tourism approach into their project to ensure greater local involvement and shared economic benefits.
Joniston, who is chairs the Sabah Tourism Board, said such commitment aligns with the state's vision to promote sustainable tourism, particularly through community-based attractions that showcase Sabah's unique identity.
On Tuesday, the Meraki Daat Initiative team, led by its president, Michelle De La Harpe, briefed Joniston on the progress of their ongoing Project Picasso, which aims to revitalise water villages and turn them into Instagram-worthy tourist spots.
The project focuses on creatively painting stilt houses and working closely with the Sabah Tourism Board to promote these water village destinations.
In June, the Sabah Tourism Board conducted a workshop that brought together five water villages on Gaya Island namely Lok Urai, Torong Logong, Lobong, Kesuapan, and Kampung Pondoh.
Joniston was briefed that these villages are now working towards formal registration to form Community-Based Tourism Gaya Island.
'This is a positive step forward. Pulau Gaya is a unique settlement with its own story to tell.
'Developing community-based tourism on the island will create value for the villagers, especially given its proximity to the city centre.
'However, it is crucial to foster a cleaner, safer and more sustainable tourism environment. Local participation and ownership are key to this effort,' he said.
During the meeting, Joniston launched the 2025 Project Picasso Art Competition themed Ocean Creatures, as part of the initiative to encourage creative community participation to further beautify their villages.
Michelle said the goal includes to transform public spaces into vibrant community-owned tourism attractions, adding the project combines youth development, art and environmental sustainability.
'We are currently building a 200-metre pathway towards the volleyball court using eco-bricks, made from recycled plastic waste. This innovation won the United Nations Development Programme's Island Waste Innovation Challenge last year,' she said.
The art competition runs from June 30 to July 31, 2025. The judging period is scheduled for August 1–7, followed by site painting from August 20–27, and the official opening and mural launch on August 31.
The public can follow updates on the Meraki Daat Initiative via their website www.merakidaat.org and social media platforms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
‘Don't let traders play the expanded SST card'
PETALING JAYA: The expanded Sales and Service tax (SST) may have a limited short-term effect on inflation, and to prevent dishonest traders from profiteering, economists say Malaysians play a crucial role in curbing unnecessary price hikes. They advise consumers to be vigilant when shopping and avoid buying products from dishonest traders. Economist Geoffrey Williams said consumers must be tough on companies that exploit the implementation of the expanded SST and raise prices unnecessarily. He said they can report such companies for profiteering to the authorities or even name the company on social media. 'Naming and shaming profiteers online is very effective, as well as boycotting the worst offenders. 'But, this requires group action where NGOs and consumer groups can play a role,' said Williams. He also said companies could play a role by being transparent with prices and having comparisons with their competitors. 'Those that treat customers well will keep and gain customers and those with bad attitudes will lose business,' said Williams. He added that consumers should be aware of which products are affected under the expanded SST when they go shopping. 'If they see prices rising on products that had the same tax rate, they can report it to the authorities for profiteering. 'The effect on inflation will be limited and temporary because this is a one-off effect on only a small sample of goods and services. Most of the consumer price index constituents are unaffected,' added Williams. He was commenting on the SST expansion which began on July 1 which saw zero rate taxes remaining for essential goods, while a rate of 5% to 10% was imposed on non-essential items. An 8% service tax will be imposed on rental or leasing services, with no tax imposed on residential housing, reading material, monetary leasing and tangible assets outside Malaysia. A 6% service tax will be levied on construction work services related to infrastructure, commercial and industrial buildings. Socio-Economic Research Centre executive director Lee Heng Guie said consumer activism played a crucial role in addressing unnecessary price hikes and Malaysians themselves should be vigilant and report any unjustified price hikes to the authorities. 'To manage price pressures, the government can improve price monitoring, providing clear communication to the public, and strict enforcement of tax compliance to prevent price gouging,' said Lee. He also said the government could implement awareness campaigns and maintain clear guidelines as well as strict enforcement of tax compliance to prevent excessive profiteering. The inflationary effects from the implementation of the expanded SST, he said, was not expected to have a lasting impact on the country. 'While price adjustments are anticipated, particularly on non-essential items and services estimated between 0.5 and 1 percentage points in the short-term, this will likely taper off over time,' added Lee. He said low- and middle-income earners were likely to be affected by the expanded SST implementation despite exemptions on essential items and cash handouts such as Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah by the government. 'The increase in SST on a broader range of goods and services can lead to price hikes across the supply chain, ultimately impacting consumers, especially those in the lower and middle income brackets. 'While direct consumer impact is limited, some businesses, particularly those relying on rented premises in sectors like logistics, manufacturing, and retail, may experience increased costs due to the service tax on leasing and rental services. 'This could potentially be passed on to consumers,' added Lee. Carmelo Ferlito, economist and chief executive at the Centre for Market Education think tank, argued that the prices of some goods may increase, but stressed that the government should not intervene. 'There are already too many price distortions in the Malaysian economic system,' he said. Inflation was a generalised and persistent increase in the level of price due to the quantity of money increasing, outpacing the growth of the economy's output of goods and services, he said. 'Taxes do not create inflation, government spending does. 'There will instead be inflation if the government expands the money supply to counter the effects of SST,' added Ferlito.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Profiteering complaint to clampdown in 24 hours
PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry will take action against traders for increasing prices exorbitantly 24 hours upon receiving complaints from the public. Advising the public to report such traders, Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (pic) said the complaints must have full information on the items and the prices. 'I welcome complaints from the public because this requires public participation. 'A detailed complaint will make it easier for us to investigate,' he said in a press conference after an appreciation event for the ministry's strategic enforcement partners in Putrajaya yesterday. Armizan also advised businesses to consult the ministry's Enforcement Department before they raise prices. 'We have a calculator to guide businesses on whether or not their hike amounted to profiteering. 'We also advise businesses to discuss with the Customs Department and the Finance Ministry,' he added. Armizan also said two companies have agreed to postpone their planned price reviews on the ministry's advise. 'The two companies informed on July 1 that they had postponed their price adjustments to a later date,' he said. During the July 1 meeting, he said the two companies did not mention that the implementation of the expanded Sales and Service tax (SST) was among the reasons they had to review their prices. 'They said the increases were due to operational costs and logistics, as well as the implementation of the minimum wage order because they have a huge workforce. 'However, when they announce the price hike, my ministry has the prerogative under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723) to ensure that price reviews are fair. 'If there are profiteering elements, we will issue a written notice for them to answer to,' he added. Armizan said from 2021 to May 31 this year, his ministry recorded over 2,800 cases handed over by enforcement agencies. Giving a breakdown of the cases, he said in 2021, a total of 250 cases were recorded followed by 2022 (615), 2023 (790), 2024 (822) and 335 cases from Jan 1 to May 31 this year. 'All these cases involve various issues, including the smuggling or embezzlement of subsidised products, with a combined value of RM199. 96mil,' said Armizan. Most cases, he added, were handed over to his ministry by the General Operations Force (PGA) with 1,146 cases, followed by the marine police (866), police (661) and the armed forces (69). 'The consistent increase shows that inter-agency cooperation has not just contributed to the success of the enforcement operation, but also increased the effectiveness of protecting consumer rights,' added Armizan. Last month, the Finance Ministry said the expanded SST would begin July 1 when a sales tax of 5% to 10% would be imposed on certain non-essential goods. Putrajaya had announced that imported apples, oranges, mandarin oranges and dates will be exempted from the SST. Also exempted are beauty services such as manicure, pedicure, facial and hairdressing. The Finance Ministry also said the registration threshold for businesses in leasing, rental and financial services have been raised from RM500,000 to RM1mil, which will limit the number of small businesses affected.
Daily Express
4 days ago
- Daily Express
Consul General calls on Liew
Consul General calls on Liew Kota Kinabalu: Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Zhu Xinglong paid a courtesy call on Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Christina Liew on Monday. Consul General Zhu said under the strategic guidance of the leaders of China and Malaysia, bilateral relations have reached a historic high, and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries are broad. Advertisement 'China is Sabah's largest source of international tourists,' he said. The Consul General expressed willingness to work closely with the Minister to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, and to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between China and Sabah in areas such as governance, civilisational dialogue, cultural industries, tourism, and poverty alleviation, in a joint effort to build a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future. SPONSORED CONTENT Minister Liew warmly welcomed Consul General Zhu's assumption of office in Sabah and noted that China's rapid development in recent years is remarkable. Advertisement She expressed her readiness to maintain close communication and coordination with the Consul General, learn from China's governance experience, and expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Sabah and China. 'Let us work together to usher in the next 'Golden 50 Years' of China-Malaysia relations,' Liew added. Advertisement Also present were Deputy Consul General Xue Xiaoning and other officials, and Sabah Tourism Board Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tay Shu Lan.
