When Ministers ensure no level playing field

Published on: Saturday, February 18, 2017

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By Private Eye
I REFER to the unfair privileges accorded to two tourism players in Sabah to the exclusion of others probably due to perceived favouritism or involvement by proxy, if true, of a former Sabah Minister in charge of tourism.

Specifically they are:

a) Borneo Divers Sdn Bhd on Mamutik Island;

b) Sanctuary Lodge Sdn Bhd on Manukan Island.

It was grossly unfair for this Minister to only give special exemption to these two firms on the two most important regulations in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.

a) BBQ Fee

Recently Sabah Parks increased the BBQ fee on Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands from RM5 to RM20 but these two companies were exempted.

b) A limited number of tourist for each of the six companies including KOTAS but again these two companies need not comply.

The excuse was that they are concessionaires and all rules do not apply to them except what was in the contract.

However, their restaurants are only meant for their in-house resort guests.

Borneo Divers Sdn Bhd hide under the fact that they are their own scuba divers guests patronising their restaurant. Both the above companies are also allowed to cook and wash utensils on the island.

These two are quoting and selling dirt cheap prices to kill off the original BBQ operators because they have much lower park fees. No costs in transporting food and utensils.

Detergents and cooking oil are being flushed to the sea daily. Eventually, all sea life will be dead.

What has the present Minister to say about this since his portfolio also covers the environment?

The sea gets polluted big time (on an increased level because previously these two companies had the advantage of unlimited tourists.

Sabah Parks also lose big revenue and still can’t control the number of tourists visiting the islands.

Therefore, the Sabah Parks ruling is totally ineffective and causing hardship to the small BBQ operators.

Private Eye