RM20,000 to build stairway to top of ‘paragliding hill’

KOTA KINABALU: A stairway will be built to the top of Ruhiang Hill in Tamparuli, which has become a popular site for recreational activities and extreme sports like paragliding.Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun yesterday approved a RM20,000  allocation to launch the project from the foot of the 1,000-metre hill.

He said although the allocation is not enough to build a stairway, it will be a start to develop Ruhiang Hill into a tourist attraction.

“The government is always looking to develop new recreational and tourism products that do not require a big sum of money,” he said when launching the Sabah Malaysian Borneo Cross Country World Class Paragliding Event at the compound of Tamparuli Cultural House.

He said preserving traditions and keeping natural sites untouched could also attract tourists.

“Something might seem petty to us but valuable to our foreign guests and that should be enough to make them come back.

“We don’t have to change a thing,” he said.

Masidi said the state government supports the paragliding activity in the district which is organized by the Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures and Tamparuli District Office.

He hoped that the event will attract more participants from all over the world to Tamparuli.

He said Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures has been appointed to supervise and manage the take-off at summit of the Ruhiang Hill and landing site near the cultural house.

“We hope that the Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures will organise a World Cup series next year to attract more participants.

“To all the international participants, namely South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Switzerland and the local participants, you are welcome to come again and participate in next year’s events, as I believe the organizer will have more attractive and spectacular competitions,” he said.

He said the attendance of many tourists will give business opportunities to the hotels, transportation companies and restaurants.

Meanwhile, Assistant Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, who is also Tamparuli assemblyman, said the three-day paragliding event with participants from 13 countries is the start to boost Tamparuli economy.

“There are about 5.5 million paragliders around the world. If they came here, that would mean lucrative business for the people,” he said.