Nasaruddin (left) presenting the mock cheque to Firdaus as Tonny looks on.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tourist Association (STA) has called on the State Government to ease the travel restrictions in Sabah.
Its chairman, Tonny Chew said the tourism stakeholders are currently not doing very well due to the inter-district travel ban.
“As a tourism stakeholder, it is our wish that the State Government lift the (inter-district travel) ban to help us,” he told reporters during STA’s Tourism Got Talent prize presentation ceremony, here on Tuesday.
Although the State Government did allow tourism operators to operate, Tonny pointed out that the number of customers is simply not enough to cover the running cost.
“It is not feasible. To run a tourism business, you would need a fixed running cost,” he said.
“We are not urging the government to abolish all the standard operating procedures (SOPs). We just want it to be more relaxed,” he further stressed.
On March 2, the State Government approved a ‘travel bubble’ between a private resort in the state capital and Mantanani island.
On March 3, they announced that they have allowed inter-zone travel, whereby individuals are allowed to travel around the districts within their designated zones.
The zones consist of Kota Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Ranau, Tuaran, Penampang, Putatan and Papar in Zone 1, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Sipitang in Zone 2, Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas in Zone 3. Sandakan, Beluran, Kinabatangan and Tongod in Zone 4, Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu, Kunak and Kalabakan in Zone 5 and Keningau, Tambunan and Tenom in Zone 6.
Separately, the main prize of the talent competition was won by Mohd Firdaus Bin Ermand Bin Erman Durasit @ Dosh, who took home RM1,000 cash and a pair of MASwings air tickets.
N. Deriy Jor came in second while Ng Eng Seng @Amy finished third. They took home RM750 and RM250, respectively.
STA had collaborated with MASwings to organise the competition, which was conducted to keep the tourism spirit up and hope alive during the recent difficult economic times.
The contest was launched on 1 December 2020 and ended on 31 January 2021.
Also present during the ceremony was MASwings Chief Operating Officer Captain Nasaruddin A Bakar.