Minister tells local divers not to miss event
Published on: Monday, July 10, 2023
Liew said visitors to Sabah’s six dive sites saw a 48 per cent increase from 90,318 in 2017 to 133,921 the following year.
STATE Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew urged local divers to participate in the programme to be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) in Kota Kinabalu from August 18 to 20.She said experts will be covering topics on ocean conservation, education and underwater photography and filming, including an interesting topic on the mermaid industry.
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“This is a great opportunity for stakeholders, both government and the private sector, to participate and gain knowledge on marine efforts in tandem with growing a sustainable niche in tourism and the diving industry,” she said.
Organised in collaboration with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), the programme expects to draw at least 4,100 attendees and is seen to further elevate Sabah’s reputation as a premier diving destination.
Liew said visitors to Sabah’s six dive sites saw a 48 per cent increase from 90,318 in 2017 to 133,921 the following year.
“In 2019, we received a total of 137,749 visitors, before we were hit by the Covid-19 pandemic,” she told a press conference in Kota Kinabalu on June 30.
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Meanwhile, on the event’s final day, Adex Hong Kong Ambassador for Ghost Net Hunters, Hidy Yu, and Guinness World Record holder and swimmer, Ben Lecomte, will be spending 23 hours in the waters around SICC.
Adex CEO John Thet said the duo, working in rotation, will be collecting ghost nets (discarded fishing nets) with specialised equipment so they can be removed without causing further damage to the marine ecosystem.
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“SICC will also become a haven for mermaid enthusiasts from around the globe. The Adex Sabah Mermaid Competition 2023 will offer an unparalleled opportunity for mermaids to showcase their talent and grace, judged live by esteemed freediving representatives and fellow mermaids,” he said.
He said the mermaid performances in a dive tank or mermaid pool after the party have always been a major part of Adex.
“With beautiful performers each year, this is a show which elevates mermaid schools across Asia and allows mermaids and mermen to bring their best to audiences.
“Mermaiding culture has ballooned drastically and attracted both children and adults. The art of mermaiding overlaps freediving principles but ensures a comfortable, confident and enjoyable experience underwater,” he said.
Sabah Adex Ambassador Clement Lee, who is also the only Malaysian International Scuba Diving Hall of Famer and Sabah’s diving pioneer, said Sabah’s waters are filled with “treasures”.
Referring to marine life and its ecosystem, he said he has discovered hairy frogfish including a rare albino thriving on the Sepanggar coast.
“Mention a diving spot in Sabah and people will say Sipadan. But when you look at it, we have diving spots on both the east and west coasts all filled with beautiful marine life.
“This is what I have been saying all along, tourists will be happier to pay if it means that a part of their money goes to preserving nature,” the diver with over 41 years of experience said.
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