Albert Teo was appointed the resource person for Asian Productivity Organisation APO, from 21st-25th June for Training Course on Integrated Waste management at Resorts, Hotels and Restaurants 21-25 June 2010 in Nadi, Fiji. His tourism papers cover two topics namely ‘Borneo Eco Tours: A Successful Example in Ecotourism’ and ‘Marketing Strategies of Green Tourism’.

100 participants comprising village folks from Kampung Kimihang Kudat, volunteers from BEST Society and LDP Youth & Wanita Kudat joined forces to clean Kimihang Beach, marking BEST’s Environmental Awareness Campaign in conjunction with the World Environment Day on 5th June and the United Nation’s 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. The beach cleaning program is aimed to create awareness among the local communities on the importance of preserving a pristine environment, especially the benefits it brings to health and social life of the villagers. Kimihang Beach was chosen by BEST as the site for this year’s Environmental Awareness Campaign as it recently received international recognition by virtue of the Global Environment Facility Small Grant Program (GEF-SGP) to develop a sustainable ecotourism-based community, due to the beautiful natural surrounding it has, and the uniqueness of the culture that bloomed within the area.

This project involves collaboration between BEST Society and Global Environment Facility Small Grant Program (GEF SGP). It was launched by YB Datuk Masidi Manjun, Sabah’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment. The launching was attended by village folks in anticipation of the success of this long-term project which will be run based on a funding of USD 48,000.00 from GEF SGP. The fund will finance various community building projects and strategies over a period of 2 years (2010-2012).

The plan includes beach cleaning along with environmental awareness education, tree planting, herbal and medicinal garden, virgin coconut oil workshop, motivational and life skills seminars, setting up a community based ecotour involving mangrove and firefly cruise, setting up Code of Practice and training of ecotourism guides, conservation and sustainable use of offshore coral reefs and mangrove forest fringing the Loro River and setting up of micro enterprises. A mock cheque from Muthusamy Suppiah, the National Coordinator of Malaysia GEF SGP to Chairman of BEST Society Albert Teo for USD 48, 000.00 was presented on stage, followed by the unveiling of the Kimihang Project road sign.
 

Borneo Eco Tours and the Sukau Rainforest Lodge through its non-profit organization BEST Society in Sukau initiated an educational outreach aimed at providing awareness on the importance of preserving the environment, to students from a Kinabatangan school.  On 26th June 2010, 18 students under 12 years of age and four teachers from Sukau National Primary participated in the one-day Environmental Education Program at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

Through this program, BEST Society instilled a sense of ownership and appreciation for the beautiful asset to our young friends. BEST Society spent RM590.75 to organize these activities, including all transportation and administrative cost. 9 Trees were planted at KWICORP Site 2 by the students.
 

On 24th July 2010, BEST Society convened the “Community Based Ecotourism Workshop” in Kimihang, Kudat. Mr. Lam Kee Hing was the facilitator for this seminar with vast experience in training that reaches into the hearts of the indigenous rural community of Sabah. A special guest, Mr. Chandra Widjaja from Singapore was invited to share his experience and to provide input for improvements. The goals were to develop capacity building among the communities in and around Kimihang, to create business opportunities generated through various projects, to develop small scale industries including virgin coconut oil, handicrafts, and foods, to create employment opportunities through community based ecotourism (CBET) projects, to develop tourism facilities to attract local and international tourists, to protect and enhance the natural environment through education and also to provide clean drinking water.

Borneo Eco tours and BEST Society joined forces with Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu and Rotary Club International to initiate the Air Kehidupan “Living Water Project” at three villages, Terongkongan Laut, Terongkongan Darat and Kimihang to replace existing wells that are often dry throughout the year. The project is expected to cost RM 200,000.00 of which BEST Society would raise RM50,000.00 with the remaining RM150,000.00 to be shared between Rotary International and Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu. BEST Society hope to find ten kind donors who will contribute RM5,000.00 each. Once the project is completed, names of the donor companies will be listed on the project website.

The scope involves geological survey, modern drilling of up to 100 feet to the water table, installation of pipes, pump, filters and tower for 5000 Gallon water tanks, along with an awareness and literacy program for surrounding villages after these facilities are in place.
 

BEST Society continues its active involvements in community projects by coordinating a seminar with the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Bank on 10th of August 2010 in Kudat. The one day seminar was held in Kg. Pinawantai Handicraft Center, Matunggong District, of which, three SME Bank officers conducted the session, headed by Mr. Rosle Kassim as SME’s Branch Manager along with Mr. Augustine Jumat and Ms. Aini Aucasa. The seminar was organized to educate the local community on the SME Bank’s services including detailed lessons on steps to fill up application forms so that they are more prepared to start up businesses on their own. During the seminar Mr. Augustine explained about the Rural Economy Funding Scheme which is relevant for the local Rungus community in the rural area to apply. The seminar was attended by 61 people from 21 different villages. Among the villages involved were Kg Pinawantai, Kg Kimihang, Kg Tinangol, Kg Popot, Kg Lajong, Kg Tinutudan, Kg Minyak, Kg Bangau, Kg Mompilis and Kg Hobut. This beneficial seminar cost a total of RM 1,200.00 for its overall expenditures and was funded by GEF-SGP UNDP as part of the capacity building effort.

The theme for 2010 is ‘Changing Attitudes – Include Everybody in Development’, a focus on paradigm shift in disability work from the charity to the rights-based. The BGM programs kicked off at the Promenade Hotel with a welcoming cocktail on 8th October 2010 before the Official Opening on the 9th October. The 10th EAPacRC BGM-cum- Regional Conference was officiated by the Guest of Honour, the Honourable Datuk Hajah Azizah Bre. Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd. Dun, Minister of Community Development and Consumer Affairs Sabah, Malaysia. This was followed by theme talks, experience sharing and business meetings throughout the day. During the night, an official dinner reception, ‘Malam Mesra’ was held at the Ocean Seafood Village Restaurant featuring cultural performance and entertainment by people with disabilities. Borneo Eco Tours sponsored a free tour of the weekly Gaya Street Sunday Market and the surrounding city attractions on the 10th, while the Official Opening of the new RM1.4 million Sabah Cheshire Home buildings took place in the evening. The new buildings will house the male residents in one block, a bakery for training and a rehabilitation room.

The newly renovated Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) earns another international recognition when it was announced as the winner of the World Travel Awards 2010 Asia’s Leading Green Hotel on 14th October 2010.  Rated as the most comprehensive, the biggest and the most prestigious awards program in the travel industry worldwide, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge competed with 5 other nominees in similar category. The lodge’s achievement is attributed to the Management and staff’s commitment to Green Policies that ensure the sustainability of the fragile environment at the Lower Kinabatangan.

Among the unique hallmarks of SRL are the Hornbill Boardwalk with two elephant passes, the use of silent electric motors during our daily river cruises in wooden boats made by the local fishermen, and recently the utilization of the Sukau River Mugs which saves more than 10,000 plastic bottles a year from the landfills.
 

Our Managing Director, Mr. Albert Teo was invited by the Terengganu Tourism Association as a speaker on 1st November 2010. He presented a paper on ‘Integrating Biodiversity Conservation and Community Development through Ecotourism: The Borneo Eco Tours Story.

A cocktail reception was held at Magellan Sutera, Kota Kinabalu on 26th November 2010 to mark this special occasion where local industry partners and government agencies were invited to join in the celebration with the Management and staff of Borneo Eco Tours. Graced by the Minister of Tourism, Cultural and Environment Sabah, the honourable Datuk Masidi Manjun, the event was also held to celebrate Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL)’s winning of the 17th World Travel Awards in the category of Asia’s Leading Green Hotel. It was indeed a gesture of appreciations from the Management of Borneo Eco Tours and Sukau Rainforest Lodge to the unsung partners who have indirectly contributed to where we are today.