KiTA
KiTA Getting Ready for 2015
Recently KiTA (Kinabatangan – Corridor of Life Tourism Operator Association) sponsored 35 tourism personnel (5 kampong folks from the lower Kinabatangan river and guides working within the lodges belonging to the members of KiTA) to undergo the Honorary Wildlife Warden (HWW) course conducted by Sabah Wildlife Department.
This is in response to a meeting during the month of May 2015 between KiTA Exco members and YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah, whereby KiTA is to work in collaborating with Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to have all tourism operators in the Lower Kinabatangan area to be a member of KiTA by 1st January 2015.
Business trading licenses will only be issue by the district office after obtaining approval from Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and showing proof of being a KiTA member. This will provide the mechanism for the tourism operatorsto self-regulate more effectively, thereby ensuring that tourismactivities in the Lower Kinabatangan River remain sustainable and operate in an environmentally friendly manner.
Towards this end, Sabah Wildlife Department has since drawn up a set of wildlife watching standard operating procedures and formulated a series of training courses to prepare the staffs of the tourism operators.
Before the end of this year, KiTA will also help to set up river patrolling units to monitor tourism activities and restrict the encroachment of wildlife habitat.And this recently conducted HWW course will provide the staffs the knowledge and skills required to carry out both the monitoring and enforcement functions. It will be one of the many to be conducted by SWD.
Mr. Alexander Yee, president of KiTA is pleased with the collaboration with SWD. “We have been working closely with SWD since the formation of the Association in 2008. And this close working relationship has enable us to achieve quite a lot in terms of monitoring and carrying out conservation activities within the lower Kinabatangan area. With this 1st batch of HWW, it shows how when private sector is to work with government agency, they can both achieve great things together.”
Mr. Roland Niun, manager of Sabah Wildlife Department who is also one of the course instructors informed the participants that “you have now been given an important tasks to safe guide the assets of our State and be sure to exercise the authority empowered to you to do your jobs diligently. You are more than anHonorary Wildlife Warden; you are now an organized group of ‘ears and eyes’ to help protect the Lower Kinabatangan area.”
Mr. Johnny Lim, vice president of KiTA, in his closing speech of the course also reminded the participants to value the training they have just received. “This is a young Association with limited self-raised funds, and I trust all the participants will appreciate the sponsorship and put the training to good use.”
In another separate event after the conclusion of the HWW course, Exco members of KiTA also met up with one of the committees of Esscom to finalise the setting up of a security post in Simpang Tiga, Kampong Abai, Lower Kinabatangan.
Since the first dialogue in February 2015, both KiTA and this committee within Esscom have met on several occasions, to fine tune requirements and to survey as well as secure a suitable location for this setup. This security post to ESSCOM is to be used as a monitoring post for all sea vessels entering into Kinabatangan River.
Will great help from many sectors including the Land & Survey Department, Sabah Forestry, Ketua Kampong and JKKK of Kampong Abai, the KiTA and Esscom committee were pleased to note, during this meeting, that all approvals have been obtained and work for the security post can commence with immediate effect!
SAC Rosli Mohd Isa of ESSCOM thanked everyone for the speedy action and assured KiTA members who are present that they will put this post to good use and they will continue to promote the safety of the area.
This security post will form another community undertaking of KiTA.
Since its formation in 2008, KiTA has grown significantly and now boasts 9 member lodges along the Lower Kinabatangan River. The Association’s mission is to promote & implement a globally recognized sustainable tourism model within the Kinabatangan-Corridor of Life that is beneficial for its People, the Planet and for Profit.
The Association is self-sustainable having a self-imposed conservation levy in placed; whereby members contribute RM10 for every guest that stay at their respective accommodation facilities.This self-sustaining financing mechanism has allowed KiTA to carry out many notable projects that have benefited the communities of KampongAbai, KampongSukau, KampongBilit and KampongSg Lokan. These activities included tree plantings, community medical project and most recently, the sponsoring to construct of a security post at Kampong Abai for ESSCOM of Sandakan.
In recognizing KiTA for its efforts, the (MOTCE) awarded all KiTA members with the Best Tourism Attraction Nature Category during the 2013 Sabah Tourism Awards.
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