Kiulu may be first to offer fresh water diving

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Bangkuai (seated centre), Awang Ahmad Zaki (seated left) and Jamilah (seated right) with members of KTA after the programme last Saturday.

TUARAN: Kiulu could be the first in the country to offer fresh water diving if everything goes according to plan here.

Kiulu Assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the unique tourism product had actually been proposed during his tenure as chairman of Sabah Tourism Board.

“Kiulu River has great potential for the development of this niche tourism product because in some stretches the river’s depth goes down to 30 feet.

“However, it did not take off and has remained on the drawing board,” said Bangkuai when meeting with representatives of the Kiulu Tourism Association (KTA) together with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) Sabah Director Awang Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar and Tourism Malaysia Sabah Director Jamilah Abdul Halim here, Saturday.

Earlier, Awang Ahmad Zaki had urged the KTA members to consider offering fresh water diving in Kiulu River besides the ever popular white water rafting for tourists to enjoy.

He had also suggested that the KTA members look into bird watching as another tourism product, which is popular among European tourists.

Bangkuai was confident that with the interest shown by Motac Sabah, the plan to introduce fresh water diving might finally take off in Kiulu.

On another note, Bangkuai agreed with the KTA’s call for the revival of the Kiulu Adventure Challenge, which had been a hit among thrill seekers but was stopped only after three editions due to funding issue.

Towards this end, Bangkuai planned to bring the matter to Motac to get support in reviving the popular event.

He also assured to bring up other requests of the KTA members to Motac and relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, the Kiulu tourism industry players still reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown effect and recently hit by flood were given assurance from Tourism Malaysia that the Government was doing all it can to help them get on their feet again.