In this issue PRODUCT UPDATE PRODUCT UPDATE Golden Years Packages Golden Years Packages 8D/7N Borneo Getaway - Made for the 8D/7N Borneo Getaway - Made for the Golden Years Golden Years What better way to spend your golden STAFF PROFILE years than to enjoy it on a holiday to Ephen Matajim - BET Coach Captain Sabah, Borneo. You can now enjoy HAPPENINGS memorable days at some of the BORNEO ECOTOURISM SOLUTIONS & famous tourist hubs in Kota Kinabalu TECHNOLOGIES (BEST) and Sandakan, which is located on the northern end of this great island. Especially made for the Golden Years, this package includes relaxing and soft activities at some top vacation spots in Learning Bahasa Sabah. Flavor your tour with a trip to the Kinabalu Park World Heritage that promises a Family ~ Keluarga (ke-loo-ar-gu) refreshing cool montane climate and natural hot spring for relaxation on the next day. Further to the east coast, travel deeper through the winding fresh waters of Kinabatangan 1. Dad –Ayah (aa-yaa) River and stay at the award winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge. 2. Mum – Ibu (ee-boo) 3. Grandpa – Datuk (da-took) Witness the elusive Proboscis monkey leaping from tree to 4. Grandma – Nenek (nay-neck) tree late in the evening as they settle down for the night 5. Elder brother – Abang (aa-bung) through our river safari. Other wildlife that you may spot 6. Elder sister – Kakak (ca-kuk) here includes various reptiles, primates, bird life, insects, 7. Younger brother/ sister – Adik lelaki/ rodents, amphibians, mammals and the Pygmy Elephant. perempuan (aa-deek la-la-kee/ At leisure, unwind at Malapi Restaurant overlooking the pur-rem-poo-an) tranquil and scenic view of Kinabatangan River. 8. Son – Anak lelaki (aa-nuk la-la-kee) 9. Daughter – Anak perempuan (aa-nuk Please click here for more details. pur-rem-poo-an 10. Mari Mari Cultural Village Borneo eZone Committee Advisor: Albert Teo There are 32 ethnics in Sabah Text: interspersed in all nooks and corners of Willie Ki, Charro Aron Charles & Jessica Sabah. With the exuberant pace of Peter modernization, it is very rare to see them Layout: in their traditional outfits doing olden- day Laurah Misaha & Verus John activities. Mari Mari Cultural Village rises Photos: to the occasion for you to experience part Albert Teo, Theo Allofs, Abdul Saat Walli, of the Sabah’s ethnics way of life nestled Joebonaventure Matius, Brett Taylor, amidst a remote forest setting, the replica Kelvin Chee, Melin Jopin, Charro Aron houses are just a short 25 minute drive from Kota Kinabalu. Enjoy the display of Charles, Randy Herz & Kathy Mendes ingenious architecture of the traditional houses and through a range of simulated lives of that epochal era. You will cherish the opportunity to visit each village tribe homes and experience their unique culture. There are also demonstration huts along the main houses where the daily routines of traditional Sabahan life are showcased. Experience activities such as blowpipe-making demonstration, fire-starting using bamboo, traditional tattoo-making as well as explanations regarding its symbolisms. Get to try local food during the demo or during meal break. More details, please contact us at : [email protected] STAFF PROFILE ↑ Back to Top Ephen Matajim – BET Coach Captain Ephen joined our company as a captain since 1994. His enormous passion and dedication in work attributes to his outstanding long service of 15 years with the company. No doubt, Ephen is known for being an easy going and well-loved 44-seater coach driver who enjoy his job very much. His responsibilities include picking up his guests and send them to their respective destination on time. He also greets and delivers welcome kits and most of all, driving safely. Apart from being passionate about his job, the secret to his long service is being able to work as a team that creates compatibility and foster unified friendship with his counterparts. One of his memorable moments was when his excellent service was recognized and awarded as one of his guests wrote a very heart-warming appreciation of his service as a driver. Ephen relishes the pleasure of working with clientèle from all over the world. Being appreciative of his guest's feedback, Ephen kept the hand-written notes from his guests through the years. To Ephen, a guest's satisfaction is the biggest reward of a job well done. The notes never fail to warm his heart every time he reads them and it continues to fuel the passion in him to give his best. When asked about his motto, Ephen happily shared, “It doesn’t matter what job you are in, the most important thing is your attitude towards your job”. In his spare time, Ephen loves to read books on self-development and watch late night TV programme on motivation. His passion helps him to see things in a better perspective and contributes much to his work performance. HAPPENINGS ↑ Back to Top SRL Renovation Beginning November 2009, Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) will undergo major face-lifting that will turn this international multi-award winner ecolodge into a premier accommodation and hospitality provider in the heart of Lower Kinabatangan. Above all, all measures will be taken to ensure that the upgrading work will have little impact on SRL’s opulent ecology. The new Sukau Rainforest Lodge with new added features would tremendously enhance guests’ holiday experience. For instance, our Gomantong Hall would be integrated in the renovation plan to cater to small special interest groups of up to 40 pax. Another added value to the lodge would be our new health spa. No doubt, on top of enjoying the pure natural ambience of Sukau, our guests will have more access to relaxation and wellness activities. The number of existing 20 rooms will be maintained as to limit the impact of mass arrivals. As such, personalised services will remain intact and environmental impact will be kept at minimal level. Our guests will enjoy better room facilities and trendy interior features. SRL is Now a Wi-Fi Hotspot Have you ever had the experience of bringing a laptop to a great destination, only to find out later that this place is not wi-fi accessible? Taking this into consideration, SRL is now offering free wi-fi access to all our guests. Just picture yourself sipping a glass of fresh fruit juice while surfing the internet on your laptop - overlooking the tranquil and relaxing Kinabatangan River at Malapi Jetty, in the middle of the Borneon wilderness. Alternatively, you also have the choice of surfing the world wide web at the lodge’s cozy lounge or even from inside your room. Whatever your preference might be, SRL is offering not only a memorable experience but also the luxury to access the cyberspace. MOU on Danau Girang Research Centre, Kinabatangan 17th July 2009 was the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sabah Wildlife Department and Cardiff University in Danau Girang, Batu Putih, Kinabatangan. The event was witnessed by Sabah’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun. The objective of the event is to renew conservation effort on flora and fauna in the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Under this MOU, Sabah Wildlife department and Cardiff University will continue their research in the Centre for five years. Cardiff University will provide funds to upgrade the facility as well as equip the centre with equipment crucial for research. Formed by Sabah Wildlife Department, Danau Girang Research Centre is aimed to run programmes for students for at least 20 weeks out of a year focusing on university students both internationally and locally. BET Staff Visited MV Doulos From left: Lasius, Rixdyvz, Noren, Hong (Doulos Tour Guide), Melin, Malvin & Bryan. BET is pleased to sponsor RM5000 to MV Doulos in what was dubbed as the last port call by the ocean-liner after 9 decades of circling the world. As a privilege, BET staff and family members were offered perhaps the life-time opportunity to do an educational visit to non-public compartments of MV Doulos which include laundry, programme hall, cafeteria and engine room. BET staff and family members were assigned to groups and took turn to visit the ship on 2nd and 5th Sept. They also visited the floating bookstore with hundreds of titles to choose from. Over 20 million visitors have been welcomed on board for tours, programmes and visits to the floating book fair. Doulos is featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest active ocean-going passenger ship. SRL Nominated for World Travel Awards 2009 Sukau Rainforest Lodge is once again in the lime light for the annual World Travel Awards. Just like in 2008, the lodge is nominated in the categories Asia's Leading Green Hotel and World's Leading Eco-Lodge. Since its opening in 1995, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge has embraced a proactive Green Policy in its operations to ensure the sustainability of the environment that it operates in. One such procedure which remains our stronghold is the use of silent electric motors during our daily river cruises. Apart from being audibly comfortable to guests, the electric motors also produce almost no sound nor smoke emission. The lodge is also actively involved in conservation and community projects in the Kinabatangan area dating back to 1995, mainly through collaboration with non-profit organizations such as the Borneo Ecotourism Solutions & Technologies Society (BEST) (formerly known as SERDC) and WWF Malaysia. The ongoing tree planting project at the 65-acre Tenegang Kecil site, Kinabatangan Wildlife Corridor Regeneration Programme (KWICORP) was initiated in 2000 to rehabilitate the degraded riverine system.