
Tip of Borneo reopens after major three-year upgrade
Published on: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Published on: Wed, May 21, 2025
By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Liew (fourth left) with ministry officials and tourism stakeholders during the reopening ceremony of Tanjung Simpang Mengayau. KUDAT: The iconic Tip of Borneo, or Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, has officially reopened after being closed for over three years for major upgrades. The facelift, led by the state Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, features a new Visitor's Information Centre with plans for Sabah's first and largest marine gallery nearby. Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said the site had been closed since January 2022 for improvements under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, with works completed last September. She said the 11-hectare landmark was gazetted for public use in 2018 and has since been protected and promoted by the Ministry. The northernmost point of Sabah, where two seas meet, remains a top tourist attraction known for its panoramic views and cultural value. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags

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


Daily Express
10 hours ago
- Daily Express
Kadazan man denied room for not being 'Malaysian enough'
Published on: Sunday, June 08, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 08, 2025 Text Size: The chat screenshot shared by the Threads user. - Pic via social media KOTA KINABALU: A Kadazan man took to social media to share a baffling exchange with a room rental agent who told him the room was for 'local Malaysian only.' Using the handle @kny_sunset__catcher on Threads, he posted a screenshot of his chat with the agent recently, where he tried to explain that Kadazans are Malaysians too. Advertisement It was understood that the agent ghosted him after that. His post went viral, racking up over 1,000 reactions and 300 comments. Many netizens chimed in with similar stories in the comment section, lamenting the ongoing ignorance about Sabah and Sarawak among some in the peninsula. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia


Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Chinese man defies demolition orders to build madcap 10-storey rural home
XINGYI (China), June 8 — Surrounded by the rubble of demolished homes, Chen Tianming's ramshackle tower of faded plyboards and contorted beams juts into the sky in southwestern China, a teetering monument to one man's stubbornness. Authorities razed most of Chen's village in Guizhou province in 2018 to build a lucrative tourist resort in a region known for its spectacular rice paddies and otherworldly mountain landscapes. Chen, 42, refused to leave, and after the project faltered, defied a flurry of demolition notices to build his family's humble stone bungalow higher and higher. He now presides over a bewildering 10-storey, pyramid-shaped warren of rickety staircases, balconies and other add-ons, drawing comparisons in Chinese media to the fantastical creations of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. 'I started building out of practicality, trying to renovate and expand our home,' Chen told AFP on a sweltering May afternoon as he climbed ladders and ducked wooden beams in his labyrinthine construction. 'But then it became more of an interest and hobby that I enjoyed,' he said. Chen's obsessive tinkering and lack of building permits continue to draw ire from the local government. The higher floors where he sleeps sway in the wind, and dozens of ropes and cables tether the house to the ground as if the whole thing might one day float away. 'When I'm up here... I get the sense of being a nomad,' Chen said, gazing out at apartment blocks, an airport and distant mountains. 'People often say it's unsafe and should be demolished... but I'll definitely never let anyone tear it down.' This picture taken on May 20, 2025 shows Chen Tianming standing in front of his house labelled China's strangest "nail house" -- households that refuse to move in the face of development plans in Xingyi, in southwest Guizhou province. — AFP pic 'Nail house' Local authorities once had big plans to build an 800-acre tourist resort — including a theatre and artificial lake — on Chen's native soil. They promised to compensate villagers, but Chen's parents refused, and he vowed to help them protect the home his grandfather had built in the 1980s. Even as neighbours moved out and their houses were bulldozed, Chen stayed put, even sleeping alone in the house for two months 'in case (developers) came to knock it down in the night'. Six months later, like many ill-considered development projects in highly indebted Guizhou, the resort was cancelled. Virtually alone among the ruined village, Chen was now master of a 'nail house' — a Chinese term for those whose owners dig in and refuse to relocate despite official compensation offers. A quirk of China's rampant development and partial private property laws, nail houses sometimes make headlines for delaying money-spinning construction projects or forcing developers to divert roads or build around shabby older homes. Even as Chen forged ahead, completing the fifth floor in 2019, the sixth in 2022 and the seventh in 2023, he continued to receive threats of demolition. Last August, his home was designated an illegal construction, and he was ordered to destroy everything except the original bungalow within five days. He says he has spent tens of thousands of yuan fighting the notices in court, despite losing several preliminary hearings. But he continues to appeal, and the next hearing has been delayed. 'I'm not worried. Now that there's no one developing the land, there's no need for them to knock the place down', he said. Tourist attraction In recent years, ironically, Chen's house has begun to lure a steady trickle of tourists itself. On Chinese social media, users describe it as China's strangest nail house, likening it to the madcap buildings in Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli masterpieces 'Howl's Moving Castle' and 'Spirited Away'. As dusk falls, Chen illuminates his home with decorative lanterns, and people gather on the nearby dirt road to admire the scene. 'It's beautiful,' local resident He Diezhen told AFP as she snapped photos. 'If there are no safety issues, it could become an (official) local landmark,' she said. Chen said the house makes many visitors remember their whimsical childhood fantasies. '(People) dream of building a house for themselves with their own hands... but most can't make it happen,' he told AFP. 'I not only thought of it, I made it a reality.' — AFP


Daily Express
18 hours ago
- Daily Express
Loke praises AirAsia crew after adverse weather turns 50-minute flight into 4 hours
Published on: Sunday, June 08, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 08, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: Pics via Anthony Loke Siew Fook | Facebook KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Anthony Loke shared his recent experience of a delayed flight from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur that was diverted to Penang due to adverse weather, turning a 50-minute journey into nearly four hours. In a Facebook post, Loke commended the professionalism and dedication of the flight crew throughout the incident. Advertisement He said he had boarded AirAsia flight AK6047 at Senai International Airport at 10.45 pm last night after attending a DAP Johor fundraiser dinner in Johor Bahru. The flight proceeded normally until the descent phase, when the aircraft encountered heavy clouds and thunderstorms. However, as it approached the runway, strong crosswinds and gusty storms forced the pilot to abort landing and circle the airspace around Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). 'What was supposed to be a 50-minute flight took almost four hours! Unexpected weather is one of the biggest challenges in airline operations. I was later informed that at least five AirAsia flights were diverted, and probably many other flights too. 'Captain Teng Huah Jer later made the decision to divert the flight to Penang for refuelling before the weather improved for a safe landing in KLIA,' he said. Advertisement Loke praised the pilot's calm and clear communication, noting that regular updates played a crucial role in keeping passengers informed and calm. 'I also wish to commend the entire crew for tirelessly supporting passengers in need. Throughout the entire episode, the crew remained composed, compassionate and professional, assisting passengers with care and empathy,' he said. Despite the extended hours, the crew maintained their professionalism and even apologised personally to every passenger for the inconvenience, he added. Loke also thanked Captain Jer, First Officer Bryan Alexander Yin Kian Yam, senior cabin crew Muhammad Asyraf Muhammad Nasrullah and cabin crew members Mandasari Nikita Florensia, Bagus Setyadi Nugroho and Norjuniza Muhammad for their efforts. He also acknowledged the ground handlers, air traffic controllers and support teams at Senai, Penang and KLIA for their swift and coordinated responses that ensured the safe completion of the journey. 'We landed safely at KLIA at 2.40 am, almost four hours after the plane took off from Senai! As a sign of moral support and appreciation to the crew, I waited for all passengers to disembark before leaving the aircraft,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia