MATTA's FAM Trip strengthen tourism ties with Hainan

HAIKOU, China: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Sabah Chapter has undertaken a familiarisation trip to Hainan province in China to strengthen tourism ties and foster long-term collaboration between both regions.

Its Chairman, Mohd Azlan Saleh Abd Salam, stated that the trip aims to enhance co-operation in agro-tourism, sustainable farming, and rural economic development—areas where Sabah and Hainan share common strengths.

Azlan made these remarks during the Sabah–Hainan tourism industry exchange and sharing conference, themed “Beautiful China Chasing Dreams in Southeast Asia”, held at the Hainan TIDE Group building.
The five-day programme, from 21 to 25 January, involved 30 Sabah-based travel agents who visited Haikou and Sanya to explore local tourism products and attractions.

He noted that Sabah and Hainan share many similarities, including vibrant urban environments, strong agricultural foundations, and a growing tourism sector that emphasises sustainability and community involvement.

Through the visit, Azlan explained that the Sabah delegation hopes to gain insights into Hainan’s best practices in modern farming, technological adoption, and integrated agro-tourism models that could be adapted for Sabah.

He added that the trip also aims to lay the groundwork for long-term partnerships involving tourism stakeholders, farmers, investors, and policymakers from both regions.

Azlan highlighted that cross-sector collaboration is vital in building a resilient, future-ready tourism industry, particularly in rural and agro-based tourism.

He expressed appreciation to the organisers and hosts for their warm hospitality, noting that the programme provided an important platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and relationship-building.

Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, who addressed the meeting via a pre-recorded video, reiterated the board’s support for efforts to strengthen tourism cooperation between Sabah and Hainan.

He commended Matta Sabah’s initiative in facilitating direct engagement between industry players from both regions, emphasising that such collaborations are crucial for product development, market access, and joint promotions.

Jimit stated that Sabah welcomes closer cooperation with Hainan’s tourism partners to promote Sabah as a nature-rich and culturally vibrant destination.

He further noted that enhanced collaboration among industry players would help generate new tourism opportunities and deepen mutual understanding between Sabah and Hainan.

Meanwhile, Yu Hui, President of Hainan Taide Tourism Investment Group Co Ltd, expressed strong interest in deepening cross-border tourism cooperation with Sabah, recognising the complementary nature of both destinations.

Yu explained that Sabah’s rainforests and eco-tourism appeal complement Hainan’s coastal attractions and resort offerings.

He highlighted that Hainan is actively developing the Hainan Free Trade Port and positioning itself as an international tourism consumption centre, offering products such as duty-free shopping, healthcare and wellness tourism, cruise and yacht experiences, aerospace tourism, and Li and Miao ethnic cultural attractions.

In contrast, he noted that Sabah is renowned for its eco-tourism assets, world-class diving sites, and multicultural heritage, making collaboration between the two highly promising.

Yu revealed that the group aims to work with Matta Sabah to create multi-stop travel itineraries, allowing visitors to experience both destinations in a single journey—paving the way for a China–Malaysia cross-border tourism corridor.

He described the group as a comprehensive tourism enterprise, involved in local tour services, guide management, outbound travel, and online platform operations.

Its subsidiary, Hainan Nanyang International Travel, utilises Southeast Asian route resources and charter flight capabilities to facilitate inbound and outbound tourism, promoting tourist flows and resource sharing.

Yu concluded by expressing hope to establish a long-term cooperation mechanism with Matta Sabah through regular exchanges, data sharing, and joint promotions, while encouraging greater participation from Hainan tourism enterprises to foster an open and mutually beneficial tourism ecosystem.

Former KePKAS Minister happy arrivals target achieved

KOTA KINABALU: Former Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Seri Christina Liew, has expressed her delight at Sabah reaching its target of 3.5 million tourist arrivals for 2025.

She attributed this success to the unwavering efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) and its agencies, including the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), Sabah Convention Bureau (SCB), Sabah Parks Board of Trustees, State Museum Department, Sabah Cultural Board (LKNS), Sabah Wildlife Department, Environment Protection Department, and Sabah-Malaysia My Second Home (Sabah-MM2H) Committee.

Liew also credited the state's tourism stakeholders, tour and travel agents, tour operators and guides, transport providers, hotels, restaurants, cultural centres, tourism-related organisations, and the culinary association, for their contributions to Sabah’s tourism growth. Special mention was made of those promoting Kota Kinabalu as a gastronomic hub.

She commended STB Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit and his dedicated team for their commendable efforts in marketing Sabah as an attractive travel destination, both physically and through digital media platforms.

According to the former minister, STB has consistently showcased and promoted Sabah’s key attractions and services internationally, in collaboration with other government agencies under KePKAS.

“Congratulations to all government agencies, stakeholders, and private sector individuals who have played a vital role in promoting Sabah globally. I am truly very pleased.

I won’t go into specifics, but I can confirm that tourist and visitor numbers from both international and domestic markets have experienced double-digit growth compared to 2024,” Liew stated on Friday.

With 2025 designated as Visit Malaysia Year, Liew remains optimistic that Sabah’s new tourism products and upgraded facilities will attract even more visitors.

During her tenure (2018–2020 and 2023–2025), she led delegations from KePKAS and STB to various countries to actively promote Sabah as a premier tourist destination, including a notable visit to Abu Dhabi, UAE, where she introduced Sabah to 1,500 delegates from 78 countries, many of whom had not previously heard of Sabah, at the 63rd International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) World Congress in 2024.

In 2023, she officially launched Sabah’s rebranding with the slogan ‘Feel Sabah, North Borneo’ at the ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show, joined by then Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.

Breakthrough Study Identifies Key Factors Increasing Gastric Cancer Risk

SINGAPORE: Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School and the National University Health System (NUHS), alongside an international team, have uncovered a complex network of factors that elevate the risk of developing gastric (stomach) cancer. Their findings, published in Cancer Discovery, shed new light on the earliest biological changes that precede cancer development and could pave the way for more targeted risk assessment and preventative strategies.

 Gastric cancer remains one of the most lethal cancers worldwide, ranking as the fifth most common and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with an estimated 769,000 fatalities in 2020. In Singapore, it is among the top ten causes of cancer mortality, claiming roughly 300 lives annually.

 The disease typically develops over decades, beginning with chronic inflammation of the stomach lining, progressing to intestinal metaplasia, a condition where stomach cells gradually transform into intestinal-type cells. This process can advance to severe tissue damage and, ultimately, cancer. Currently, clinicians struggle to predict which individuals with intestinal metaplasia are most at risk of progression.

 To address this challenge, the research was conducted under the auspices of the Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium (SGCC), a multidisciplinary national initiative involving clinicians, scientists from various universities and research institutes, and partners from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the USA. The team analysed over 1,500 intestinal metaplasia samples from six countries, enabling a comparative study of genetic mutations across diverse populations with varying gastric cancer risks.

Advanced genetic analysis revealed 47 significantly mutated genes in intestinal metaplasia tissues. Notably, mutations in the gene ARID1A were linked to increased cancer risk and poorer prognosis. The researchers also identified a unique pattern of DNA damage, called SBS17, absent in healthy stomach tissue but prevalent in intestinal metaplasia. Linked to oxidative stress—cellular damage caused by reactive molecules often intensified by smoking, this pattern suggests oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in early gastric carcinogenesis.

 An unexpected discovery was the potential therapeutic role of pyrvinium, an anti-parasitic drug, which was shown to inhibit the growth of intestinal metaplasia cells. This promising finding has prompted plans for clinical trials to explore its use in preventing gastric cancer.

The team also identified an association between clonal haemopoiesis, a process where blood stem cells acquire mutations and expand, and increased gastric cancer susceptibility. Since clonal haemopoiesis is common in older adults, this link offers insights into why gastric cancer often appears later in life. Furthermore, individuals with clonal haemopoiesis exhibited higher levels of oral bacteria such as Streptococcus in their stomachs. The combined effect of weakened immunity and increased bacterial presence may foster chronic inflammation, accelerating disease progression.

 Professor Patrick Tan, Dean of Duke-NUS and senior author of the study, commented,"Gastric cancer is often called a silent killer because it develops quietly over many years before symptoms emerge. Our research shows that risk factors are multifaceted, building over time through a complex interplay of ageing, genetic alterations, immune system changes, and bacterial influences. As Singapore’s population ages rapidly, these insights will be vital in advancing our understanding of biological ageing and promoting healthier longevity."

 Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, Chief Executive of NUHS and co-senior author, added, "Our findings open new avenues for treatment, including targeting specific bacteria and potentially reversing intestinal metaplasia. They also enable us to identify individuals at greatest risk long before cancer develops, allowing for more focused screening and early intervention."

Supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health and research grants from the National Medical Research Council and the National Research Foundation, this study marks a significant step forward in gastric cancer research and prevention.

Sabah Tourism Sights and Sites Promoted in Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam:  The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has successfully concluded its strategic trade mission to Vietnam, hosting the Sabah Seminar and B2B Session at the Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel recently.

In collaboration with the Sabah Enhanced Travel Innovation Association (SETIA) and Tourism Malaysia, the event served as a valuable networking platform for 20 delegates from Sabah, including 16 specialised travel agents, to engage in “tabletop” business discussions with leading travel trade partners in Ho Chi Minh City.

A total of 65 buyers representing local Vietnamese agencies attended the event, demonstrating a strong interest in promoting Sabah as a destination to Vietnamese travellers.

The mission also highlighted AirAsia’s direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Kota Kinabalu, offering seamless connectivity that reduces travel time to just over two hours.

“Vietnam is an emerging key market for us. By engaging with our industry partners, we are committed to expanding our network and establishing long-term collaborations with Vietnamese trade stakeholders,” said Julinus Jeffery Jimit, Chief Executive Officer of Sabah Tourism Board.

“This targeted initiative aims to unlock new growth opportunities and foster high-value partnerships between Sabah’s travel experts and Vietnam’s rapidly expanding outbound tourism market,” he added.

As Malaysia prepares to celebrate Visit Malaysia Year 2026, Sabah is already looking ahead to its milestone, the Visit Sabah Year 2027. Under the new branding, “Explore Sabah – Naturally Inspiring, Beyond Ordinary,” the state aims to position itself as a premier global destination for culture, adventure, and nature.

Following the recent recognition of Sabah’s ten “World’s Best” attractions, the state continues to highlight its world-class natural beauty and adventure offerings, with the iconic Mount Kinabalu climb remaining a top-tier bucket list experience for Vietnamese adventure enthusiasts. Sabah’s other top five highest peaks in Malaysia also warrant recognition.

Beyond its mountains, diving remains a major attraction, drawing enthusiasts to explore the vibrant underwater biodiversity of the Semporna Islands and the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, situated near the capital.

The unique wildlife of Borneo, including orangutans, Bornean elephants, and sun bears, continues to captivate visitors’ attention. Complementing these natural wonders is Sabah’s rich cultural tapestry, shaped by over 30 ethnic groups that tell the enduring stories of Borneo’s traditions.

The Sabah Tourism Board remains dedicated to sustainable tourism development, ensuring growth that is inclusive and responsible. STB continues to support community-based tourism (CoBT) operators, which serve as pillars of inclusive development. Recently, five Sabah CoBT operators received national recognition under the ASEAN Tourism Standard, setting a benchmark for others in the region.

With its combination of natural beauty, adventure opportunities, and cultural richness, Sabah is well-positioned to welcome Vietnamese travellers seeking a unique journey in Borneo.

Authentic Cultural Venue for Memorable Events in Sabah

TUARAN: Situated within the expansive 400-acre natural sanctuary of Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu, Pogun Tokou offers a truly unique experience for visitors. 

Celebrating Sabah’s rich cultural heritage, commitment to sustainability, and sense of place, this venue provides an inspiring setting for visitors seeking an authentic taste of Borneo’s traditions alongside their meetings and events. 

The name “Pogun Tokou,” meaning “Our Land” in the Dusun language, perfectly encapsulates its mission to foster meaningful connections through shared cultural experiences and genuine hospitality.

More than just an event space, Pogun Tokou serves as a living tribute to Sabah’s rich traditions. Its architecture harmoniously blends traditional design elements with modern comforts, creating an inviting environment for corporate gatherings, incentive groups, private celebrations, and destination weddings that desire an authentic cultural flavour without compromising on comfort or service excellence.

Inspired by the spirit of unity and a deep respect for land and heritage, Pogun Tokou comprises three traditional structures, each with its own character and purpose. The ‘Walai’ reflects the intimacy of a traditional village home, ideal for private dinners or cultural demonstrations. ‘Lamin’ draws inspiration from Sabah’s communal longhouses, providing an ideal setting for group dining, storytelling, and interactive cultural experiences. ‘Suap’ offers an open and welcoming space, perfect for cocktail receptions and social gatherings.

Built with sustainable materials and crafted by local artisans, every detail of Pogun Tokou showcases Sabah’s stories, skills, and traditions. Overlooking lush forest reserves with stunning vistas stretching towards the South China Sea, the venue offers a naturally inspiring backdrop for any occasion.

Purposefully designed, Pogun Tokou is ideally suited to events that aim to go beyond the conventional. Its flexible layout allows organisers to create programmes that include welcome dinners, themed galas, cultural performances, incentive celebrations, and informal networking sessions. These experiences can be enriched by storytelling, local cuisine, and traditional entertainment, all delivered with Shangri-La’s renowned level of service.

Aligned with Shangri-La’s Triple ‘S’ philosophy—Stay, Savour, Shine—Pogun Tokou actively promotes sustainability and community engagement. Events hosted here contribute directly to the preservation of Sabah’s cultural heritage, support local craftsmanship, and uphold environmental responsibility. Choosing this venue means not only securing an extraordinary space but also supporting the local community and fostering meaningful cultural exchanges.

Located at Pantai Dalit Beach in Tuaran, the resort offers seamless access to luxurious accommodation, world-class dining, nature-based activities, and team-building experiences. Pogun Tokou complements the resort’s extensive MICE offerings by adding a deeply rooted, cultural dimension to events in Kota Kinabalu. 

For organisations seeking to inspire connection, celebrate local traditions, and create memorable moments, Pogun Tokou stands out as an authentic and inspiring destinations—a truly remarkable venue that reflects the heart and soul of Sabah.