
Hands off our starfish, Sabah minister warns tourists
KOTA KINABALU: Tourists should avoid touching or disturbing starfish, as doing so can harm the fragile marine ecosystem, said state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew.
"Starfish help maintain the balance of the marine ecosystem, and their removal can disrupt this delicate balance."
Liew was responding to a viral issue on social media regarding the collection of starfish by a tourist, believed to be a Chinese national.
The tourist was seen collecting starfish while on a paddleboard in waters off Kota Kinabalu.
Liew added that the ministry views the incident seriously, as such actions are contrary to the principles of ecotourism, which emphasise the conservation of marine life.
"Investigations by the Board of Trustees of Sabah Parks confirmed that the incident took place off Tanjung Aru, outside the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, and involved a tour company.
"Thirty starfish were collected, identified as Horned Sea Star or Chocolate Chip Sea Star."
Liew said that the authorities will take action against any party found violating regulations on wildlife and natural ecosystems.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Tourism ministry shares details of Cambodia-China Tourism Year events
PHNOM PENH: In a bid to strengthen cultural and tourism ties between Cambodia and China, the Ministry of Tourism has laid out ambitious plans for the 'Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025'. The initiative, a result of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Cambodia in mid-April, aims to attract a larger number of Chinese tourists and deepen bilateral relationship between the two nations. Chuk Chumno, director-general of Tourism Development and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Tourism, confirmed the launch of this significant campaign. He shared details about the lineup of major events that will be organised as part of the 'Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025'. The events will showcase the rich cultural heritage and tourism potential of both countries. 'These include an international music festival, an international street art festival, a mixed martial arts festival, food diplomacy promotion and the Cambodia-China International Tourism Conference, among others,' said Chumno. One of the highlights of this extensive programme is the tourism business matching forum, which is expected to facilitate deeper collaboration in the tourism sector. The initiative will also feature the exchange of tourism goodwill ambassadors and promote Cambodia-China film tourism through targeted activities, including a planned visit by a Chinese media delegation. Plans have also been laid out for an overland expedition from China which will culminate with a tour of the Kingdom, although details of the route were not available. Chumno elaborated on the planned international music festival, which will be held either in Siem Reap province or Phnom Penh. 'It will serve as a cultural exchange between the two countries, showcasing the diversity of our artistic traditions,' he said. In addition, a street art festival will feature a variety of performances, including traditional Cambodian Bassac theatre and Chinese opera, to engage audiences with both cultures. A unique element of this collaboration is the special performance planned between two iconic characters from both nations' folklore: the Monkey King Hanuman from Cambodia and the Monkey King Sun Wukong from China. 'We are curious to learn about the Chinese Monkey King and they are interested to know more about Hanuman,' Chumno explained, emphasising the shared cultural heritage. In addition to the arts, martial arts will also play a key role in the exchange. Cambodia and China both boast rich traditions in martial arts, including Cambodia's kun lbokator, yuthakun khom and Kun Khmer, and China's kung fu, Shaolin, and tai chi. These traditions will be highlighted throughout the year as part of the ongoing cultural dialogue. To further attract Chinese tourists, the tourism ministry has aligned these events with China's major holidays, such as the Chinese New Year and the October Golden Week. Tourism minister Huot Hak, the governor of China's Jiangsu province and other Chinese officials chose the third quarter of the year for the events to ensure that the Chinese public has the opportunity to explore Cambodia during their vacation period. A key aspect of the campaign will be food diplomacy, with both countries exchanging regional culinary delights. 'Cambodia will showcase its traditional dishes, including amok noodles, Khmer desserts and a variety of Khmer cakes,' said Chumno. China will present its eight regional dishes, providing a unique opportunity to celebrate and promote both cultures' food traditions. The cultural exchange and tourism collaboration was officially inaugurated at the Chaktomuk Conference Hall in Phnom Penh on May 23. The opening ceremony included a special art performance, 'The Beauty of Cambodia-Jiangsu', which was held from May 23-25. This event marked the beginning of a series of planned cultural showcases, strengthening the tourism links between the two nations. The event aims to build on the existing relationship between the two countries, which has seen a notable rise in tourist exchanges. In the first four months of 2025, Cambodia welcomed 380,000 Chinese visitors — a 48 per cent increase from the same period in 2024. Last year saw Cambodia welcome a total of 6,610,592 international tourists, including 848,952 from China, marking a 55 per cent rise compared to the previous year. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN


Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Penang ferry terminal to get seaview deck, commercial spaces in revitalisation effort
GEORGE TOWN, June 11 — The Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda (PRTU) ferry terminal on Penang island will undergo an upgrade to include a seaview observatory deck, commercial spaces, and open car parks, the Penang Port Commission (PPC) announced today. PPC chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said the revitalisation aims to modernise the terminal with an attractive design to improve visitor comfort and satisfaction. 'This will boost operational productivity,' Yeoh said in a statement. He added that the commercial spaces will feature a food and beverage hub and a garden bridge, alongside other attractions to draw more tourists. The PRTU upgrade is part of broader efforts to improve ferry operations, Yeoh noted. In addition, he said the extension of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) now enables Oasis-class cruise ships to dock simultaneously, accommodating up to 12,000 passengers at a time. 'SPCT has been developed as a regional cruise ship hub, and projects around the terminal are being prioritised to complement these upgrades and attract more cruise ships to Penang,' he said. Yeoh also announced plans to collaborate with Printhero to establish a ferry museum showcasing Penang's iconic ferries, which once served as a crucial transportation link between Seberang Perai and the island. 'The conservation project aims to preserve the state's maritime heritage while offering visitors a chance to explore the history of water transportation in Malaysia. The old ferry, which carries countless memories, will be revived as a historical tourism attraction,' he said. Yesterday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook visited the PPC and reviewed key projects, including the North Butterworth Container Terminal Expansion Master Plan. According to Yeoh, the expansion involves reclamation work over 322.83 hectares and includes plans for a major petroleum hub in the northern region called the Northern Petroleum Terminal (NPT). 'The NPT will be a bulk petroleum storage facility designed to accommodate Medium Range (MR) class tankers,' he said.


Borneo Post
13 hours ago
- Borneo Post
China's hassle-free marriage rule fuels travel, consumption
A couple holds a destination wedding in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, May 10, 2025.(Xinhua) BEIJING (June 11): On Tuesday morning, Yang Min and his bride, He Xingyue, registered their marriage at the lakeside of Erhai, hundreds of miles away from their home in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The date of May 20 holds a special significance in China, as its Chinese pronunciation '520' resembles the phrase 'wo ai ni,' meaning 'I love you.' It is a peak time for marriage registrations, seeing long lines at marriage registries nationwide. With China scrapping household registration rules for marriages earlier this month, couples are embracing a new 'wedding plus travel' trend, merging their nuptials with vacation getaways. 'Since the marriage registration has become so much easier, we decided to get married where we first met,' said Yang, from Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan. Their park-style registry is located on a peninsula at Erhai Lake, where a group wedding ceremony was held Tuesday morning in the Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Dali, also in Yunnan. Yang added that following the wedding ceremony, the couple will spend a few days in Dali as a honeymoon. The latest hassle-free marriage rule has made cross-region marriage registration more convenient, especially for those working outside their hometowns. According to a national population census in 2020, China's mobile population reached 376 million, including 125 million interprovincial migrants. Women in wedding dresses are pictured at a wedding art center in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, May 20, 2025.(Xinhua) As the policy no longer requires people to register their marriage back home, young couples prefer to plan their weddings in their own way — traveling to an ideal destination for a commemorative wedding, or a destination wedding. To attract more lovebirds to arrange their weddings there to boost the consumption economy, places across the country have taken various measures. Yunnan, a hot tourist destination known for its breathtaking landscape views, rich ethnic cultures and cuisines, has set up 114 park-style marriage registries, offering one-stop services for marriage registrations, wedding ceremonies and honeymoon tours. Chengdu, capital of the neighboring Sichuan Province, has moved a marriage registry to a snowy mountaintop at an altitude of 3,250 meters for marriage registration services, the highest spot in the city. Sayram Lake, a scenic area in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, offers free lifetime entrance to couples who register their marriage there, making it an even more appealing destination for newlyweds to tie the knot. Liang Sen, a native of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and his girlfriend Wang Mingyi, from Jilin Province in northeast China, recently drove over 10,000 km from Jilin to Sayram Lake for marriage registration. 'Both of us love traveling. The new marriage policy grants us the convenience and a special wedding,' said Liang, adding that their experience of tasting local snacks, climbing the Great Wall and snow-capped mountains on the way became their romantic memory. The booming destination weddings have stimulated businesses of various kinds, such as photography. A couple registers at a marriage registry in Panlong District, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, May 20, 2025.(Xinhua) Chen Liuling, a Chengdu-based private photographer, said the photo shooting for marriage registration is usually priced from 200 yuan (about 27.8 U.S. dollars) to some 400 yuan, while more upscale studios charge up to 699 yuan. 'Many young couples seek both a sense of ceremony and cost-effectiveness. They're willing to spend a few hundred yuan to document this special moment,' she said. Zhao Canhui, head of the destination wedding branch of Dali's tourism association, said that young people today hold more diverse interpretations of romance, driving the emergence of popular wedding destinations. He noted that these innovative marriage registration models reflect both consumption upgrades following policy relaxation and young people's redefinition of wedding ceremonies, making the 'sweet economy' a new growth engine. – Xinhua China marriage travel wedding