Latest news with #JonistonBangkuai
The Star
18 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Community-based tourism players urged to leverage growing wellness travel trend
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai for the cancer awareness campaign in Kiulu. KOTA KINABALU: Community-based tourism operators across Sabah have been urged to integrate wellness elements into their products to remain competitive and aligned with global tourism trends. Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said Sabah's natural beauty, clean air, and cultural richness provide the ideal foundation for eco-wellness tourism, which is on the rise. 'Villagers should start thinking beyond sightseeing by incorporating wellness into their packages through mindful activities, traditional healing, or healthy local meals. These are simple additions that can add meaningful value to rural tourism,' Bangkuai said during the Program Jejak Kanser at Pekan Kiulu on Tuesday (July 22). The Kiulu assemblyman stressed that wellness tourism is no longer a niche, and travellers today are seeking places that help them relax, recharge, and reconnect. He pointed to last month's Sustainable Wholistic Wellness International Conference and Expo in Sabah as a strong signal that the state is ready to lead in this sector. Bangkuai said many rural communities already practice sustainable living and have access to nature-rich surroundings, making them well-positioned to offer genuine wellness experiences. 'In line with our efforts to transform Kiulu under the Sabah Maju Jaya agenda, which focuses on tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing, we also want to see Kiulu become a healthy and thriving rural community model. 'By hosting regular health screenings, nature-based therapy sessions, and awareness programmes, Kiulu can set a clear example that rural areas can advance healthy living,' he added. Bangkuai said establishing a wellness centre would support this vision, adding that integrating health elements into tourism can benefit both visitors and locals, and open up new economic and social opportunities.
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
Both Warisan, KDM conspired with Umno: GRS
Published on: Monday, July 21, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 21, 2025 Text Size: KIULU: Assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the united approach under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has proven effective in governing the state in an inclusive, stable, and development-focused manner. 'The GRS government is now moving forward much like Sarawak's GPS government, which is formed by local parties representing all communities. This is the best model for Sabah. Advertisement 'If we look at Sarawak, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) holds a clear majority but still chooses to work together with other parties to jointly develop Sarawak's socio-economy — not go it alone,' he said. Joniston, who is also the Information Chief for both GRS and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), said this during the Papawantai Taasok Ceremony and Community Leaders' Gathering with the People of Mukim Lembah, Saturday. Commenting on the recent announcements by Warisan and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM) to contest solo, Joniston described it as a political tactic that reflects a direction inconsistent with the aspirations of the people of Sabah. 'We do not deny any party's right to contest on its own, but ultimately, the people will judge by the outcomes — and stability can only be achieved when local parties choose collaboration over competition. 'If they are truly advocating for mature politics, that must be accompanied by a willingness to cooperate and compromise... not by acting alone and disregarding collective strength,' he said. Joniston also reminded the public that Warisan and PKDM had previously colluded with Umno in an attempt to overthrow the government led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor — a move he said clearly prioritized personal political interests over state stability. 'Such actions do not reflect leadership that puts the people first. Instead, they undermine public confidence and disrupt focus on development efforts,' he said. Joniston said the GRS administration under Hajiji's leadership has proven that a coalition of local parties can function effectively, achieving significant milestones such as boosting the state's financial reserves and implementing various welfare initiatives. In the Kiulu constituency, he said rural development continues to advance under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development blueprint, including agricultural road upgrades to improve access to farms and remote villages. 'We acknowledge there is still a lot of work to be done, and we do not deny the existence of challenges such as water, electricity, and infrastructure. But we take full responsibility and will keep moving forward,' he stated. He urged the people to continue supporting leadership that has delivered results, and not to be swayed by political decisions made in the interest of certain parties that could jeopardize the state's stability. * 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
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Unified political approach needed in Sabah, says Joniston Bangkuai
KOTA KINABALU: Politicians working together can bring better development and political stability to a government than acting alone, says Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief stated that parties opting to run solo in the upcoming state elections are not acting in the people's best interests. Speaking to villagers at a meet-the-people session in Kiulu on Saturday (July 19), he said the unified approach under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has proven effective in governing the state inclusively and stably, with a focus on long-term development. "The GRS government is moving in the same direction as the GPS government in Sarawak, which is formed by local parties representing all races. This approach is the best for Sabah," said Bangkuai. "If we look at Sarawak, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) holds a clear majority but still chooses to work with other parties to develop the socio-economy of Sarawak jointly. Not alone," he said. On Parti Warisan and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia's (KDM) plan to stand alone, he called it a political tactic that goes against the aspirations of Sabahans. "We do not deny any party's right to stand on its own, but at the end of the day, the people will judge based on results," Bangkuai said, adding that stability can only be achieved when local parties work together, not compete against each other. "If we want to bring about a mature political approach, it must be followed by a willingness to work together and compromise, not move alone and deny collective strength," he added. He also reminded the public how Warisan and KDM had been willing to collude with Umno in an attempt to topple the state government led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, which he said prioritised personal political interests over the state's stability. "Such actions do not reflect leadership that puts people first but rather undermine public confidence and distract from the focus on the development agenda," Bangkuai said. He reiterated that under Hajiji's leadership, the GRS government has shown that a coalition of local parties can function well and has achieved many successes, such as increasing state reserves and rolling out welfare initiatives.
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Parties going solo undermine Sabah's political stability and unity - Joniston
Joniston officiates the symbolic launch of Papawantai Taasok, a community thanksgiving event. KIULU (July 19): Local political parties that choose to go it alone in the upcoming state election are not aligning with the people's need for political stability and strong local cooperation, said Kiulu assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. He said the unified approach under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has proven effective in governing the state in an inclusive, stable and focused manner on long-term development. 'The GRS government is moving in the same direction as the GPS government in Sarawak, which is formed by local parties representing all races. This approach is the best for Sabah. 'If we look at Sarawak, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) holds a clear majority but still chooses to work with other parties to develop the socio-economy of Sarawak jointly. Not alone,' he said. Joniston, who is the GRS and PBS information chief, made the remarks during a meet-the-people session and Papawantai Taasok ceremony here on Saturday. Reacting to Warisan and PKDM's plan to stand alone, Joniston called it a political tactic that goes against the aspirations of the Sabah people. 'We do not deny any party's right to stand on its own, but at the end of the day, the people will judge based on results. 'Stability can only be achieved when local parties choose to work together, not compete among themselves. 'If we want to bring about a mature (politics) approach, it must be followed by a willingness to work together and compromise … not move alone and deny collective strength,' he added. Joniston also reminded the public how Warisan and PKDM had been willing to collude with Umno in an attempt to topple the government led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, which he said clearly reflected a prioritisation of personal political interests over the state's stability. 'Such actions do not reflect leadership that puts people first, but rather only undermine public confidence and distract from the focus on the development agenda,' he said. He reiterated that under Hajiji's leadership, the GRS government has shown that a coalition of local parties can function well and has even achieved many achievements, such as increasing state reserves and rolling out welfare initiatives. In Kiulu, Joniston said rural development continues to be driven under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) roadmap, including agricultural road upgrades to improve access to farms and villages. 'We acknowledge that more still needs to be done, and we do not deny the existence of challenges such as water, electricity and infrastructure, but we take full responsibility and are committed to moving forward,' he said. He called on the people to continue supporting leadership that has delivered tangible results and not be swayed by political decisions made in the interests of certain parties that could harm state stability.
Daily Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
PBS: JKDM and Ambalat among the low points
Published on: Monday, July 14, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 14, 2025 Text Size: 'Decisions on infrastructure, education, and development must reflect our realities here, not be dictated by those in Putrajaya who may not fully understand the unique challenges we face,' said Joniston. - FMT pic Kota Kinabalu: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the slogan 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga' is a patriotic call for Sabahans to take responsibility for their own state, and not a signal of hostility towards the Federal Government. Speaking at the first joint convention of PBS and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), he said the slogan reflects the deeply personal bond Sabahans have with their homeland, echoing the state anthem's spirit of unity, responsibility and pride. He said the slogan for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was chosen to inspire local ownership in shaping Sabah's future and to reaffirm the importance of empowering local leadership and decision-making, particularly by Sabah-based parties. Citing lines from the state anthem such as 'Sabah tanah airku, negeri kita yang tercinta' and 'Sabah negeri merdeka', he said the slogan resonates with the call for Sabahans to stand united and to guard their homeland with resolve. 'The slogan is not anti-Federal in any way because Sabah remains committed to Malaysia. But we want to be treated as an equal partner, where our voices matter in shaping national policies. 'Decisions on infrastructure, education, and development must reflect our realities here, not be dictated by those in Putrajaya who may not fully understand the unique challenges we face,' said Joniston. He took aim at the decisions made without consulting the Sabah Government, including the setting up of the Jawatankuasa Kemajuan Desa Madani (JKDM) and the federal announcement on joint oil and gas development in the Ambalat waters. He acknowledged the increase of Sabah's special grant from RM53 million to RM600 million as a positive step, but reiterated GRS' continued demand for the return of 40pc revenue entitlement as provided for under the Federal Constitution. * 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
