15 hours ago
Wooing the Kazakh tourists to Sabah
Published on: Saturday, July 05, 2025
Published on: Sat, Jul 05, 2025 Text Size: Nordin (second from right) representing ACCI Sabah Chapter during a working visit to Kazakhstan. ASTANA: Kazakhstan is looking to enhance cooperation with Sabah in the areas of tourism, investment, and education following a recent working visit by a Malaysian business delegation. President of the Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Sabah Chapter Datuk Nordin Ening, said Kazakhstan aims to bring more of its citizens to Sabah, particularly to Kota Kinabalu and Semporna, while also promoting its own winter tourism experiences.
Advertisement 'These include snow jet-skiing from October, cable car ride and other seasonal activities which may also appeal to Malaysian travellers,' he said. Nordin was part of a three-day working visit to Kazakhstan, organised by the Almaty Chamber of Entrepreneurs (Atameken), which concluded recently. He said existing direct flights between Almaty and Kuala Lumpur, which is currently operating four times a week, have played a role in increasing visitor arrivals, with AirAsia expected to add a fifth weekly flight by the end of this month. Malaysia's position as a hub for affordable medical tourism has also attracted interest from Kazakhstan, which Nordin said may benefit private hospitals and rehabilitation centres in Sabah. Beyond tourism, the delegation was also briefed on investment opportunities in several key sectors. One of the main projects involves a conveyor belt manufacturing plant led by Aytei Group to serve the agriculture, mining, and heavy industries. Kazakhstan is also opening its doors to partners in the processing of technogenic mineral waste (TMW), a legacy of the Soviet era. The country holds over five billion tonnes of mineral waste, including valuable metals such as copper, and is seeking foreign expertise to develop modern processing facilities. In the energy sector, the Tortai oil field in Atyrau region, which holds an estimated 82.1 million barrels in geological reserves, is open for foreign investment. Twenty-two wells have been drilled, with four currently in production. Kazakhstan is also planning a large-scale shift to electric vehicles (EVs), aiming for 80 per cent usage in major cities. Proton has signed an agreement to establish an EV assembly plant there. Nordin said discussions also covered potential cooperation in Islamic banking, fintech, and education, particularly student exchanges and English-medium programmes at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). 'ACCI Sabah will help facilitate business connections and follow-up visits between the two regions,' he said, adding that coordination from agencies such as Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti), Tourism Sabah, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) and private sector players would be vital. 'We hope these prospects will be pursued with clear planning and strong cooperation,' 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.
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