Latest news with #NordinEning
Daily Express
15 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Express
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. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Sabah, Kazakhstan explore tourism, investment ties
Published on: Friday, July 04, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 04, 2025 Text Size: Nordin (second right) during the recent visit to Kazakhstan. ASTANA: Kazakhstan has expressed interest in boosting tourism ties with Sabah, aiming to attract more Kazakh visitors to Kota Kinabalu and Semporna in the near future. Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Sabah Chapter President Datuk Nordin Ening said the country is also offering unique winter holiday experiences in return, including snow jet-skiing, cable cars, and winter tourism packages. Advertisement Speaking after a recent three-day working visit to Kazakhstan, Nordin noted that existing direct flights between Almaty and Kuala Lumpur are supporting this potential, with AirAsia expected to increase frequency to five weekly flights. He added that Kazakhstan is also inviting Malaysian investors to explore joint ventures in key projects such as conveyor belt manufacturing, mineral waste processing, oil fields, and electric vehicle (EV) production involving Proton. Nordin said Kazakhstan has shown interest in developing Islamic banking, fintech, and student exchange programmes with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and called on Sabah agencies and industry players to pursue these opportunities strategically. * 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
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Sabah attracts growing interest from Kazakhstan in tourism and business
ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sabah chapter president Datuk Nordin Ening (second right) sat with Almaty City Entrepreneurs Chamber deputy director ALibek Urazov (third left) over tourism and business talk, recently. KOTA KINABALU: Kazakhstan is showing increasing interest in Sabah as both a tourist destination and an investment hub. Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Sabah chapter president Datuk Nordin Ening shared this following his recent three-day mission to Kazakhstan, during which he met with Kazakh government officials, Tourism Malaysia representatives in Kazakhstan, and Malaysia's Trade Commissioner. "There are encouraging signs that Sabah could play a bigger role in attracting Kazakh tourists and investors. With Southeast Asia gaining popularity among Kazakh travellers amid instability in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Sabah, particularly Kota Kinabalu and Semporna, has emerged as a potential destination of choice. "Currently, most Kazakh tourists visit only Langkawi, but Kazakh authorities have expressed a strong desire to channel more visitors to Sabah," said Nordin. He added that the visit was facilitated by an invitation from the Almaty City Entrepreneurs Chamber (Atameken). Nordin noted that existing direct flights between Almaty and Kuala Lumpur, operating four times a week, have already helped spur interest. Discussions are underway for AirAsia to introduce a fifth weekly flight. To fully capitalise on this opportunity, he said Sabah must intensify its tourism promotional efforts in the Kazakh market. In return, Kazakh officials have extended offers for unique travel experiences in their country, including snow jet skiing and other winter attractions, as part of a potential tourism exchange initiative. Beyond tourism, Kazakhstan is seeking business collaborations with Malaysian companies, especially from Sabah, in key sectors such as oil and gas, green technology, manufacturing, and mineral processing. During the visit, Kazakh officials shared details of several large-scale projects open to foreign investment, including a conveyor belt manufacturing facility, a mineral waste processing initiative, and an oil field in the Atyrau region. There is also growing interest in partnerships in Islamic banking, financial technology (fintech), and education. Kazakhstan is keen to establish student exchange programmes and English language-focused collaborations with Malaysian universities, particularly Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), as part of its national shift away from Russian language dependency. Meanwhile, Malaysia has already become a preferred destination for medical treatment among Kazakh citizens. This presents opportunities for Sabah's private healthcare sector to develop customised medical tourism packages for this emerging market. Nordin said ACCI Sabah will continue to serve as a platform connecting Sabah's industries with investment and trade prospects in Kazakhstan. "We will be organising follow-up efforts to facilitate the presence of Kazakh investors and tourists in Semporna and Kota Kinabalu, and vice versa," he said. He also called on all relevant agencies in Sabah, including MATRADE, MITI, MIDA, the Sabah Tourism Board, and the private sector, to take full advantage of these new collaborative opportunities.
Daily Express
23-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Iran tension will have ripple effect
Published on: Monday, June 23, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jun 23, 2025 Text Size: According to Nordin, the government should also take a more proactive role in providing up-to-date information, financial support, and technical assistance to affected industry players. Kota Kinabalu: The escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have raised concerns among industry players and economic analysts, particularly entrepreneurs involved in international trade. President of the Asean Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) Sabah Chapter, Datuk Nordin Ening, said the situation could trigger a ripple effect on global economic stability and impact local businesses connected to international markets. 'This conflict isn't just about foreign politics. It has direct implications on global oil prices, currency exchange rates, supply chains, and shipping costs. Malaysian entrepreneurs, especially in Sabah, where many rely on imports and exports, must be better prepared,' he said when commenting on the matter. He urged entrepreneurs to re-evaluate their strategies, including aspects of geopolitical risk management, market diversification, and building business resilience against global uncertainties. 'Smart entrepreneurs don't rely on a single market source or trade route. In an increasingly unpredictable world, we must have contingency and alternative plans, including strengthening regional markets such as Asean,' he added. According to Nordin, the government should also take a more proactive role in providing up-to-date information, financial support, and technical assistance to affected industry players. Advertisement 'We need an economic response mechanism to handle external conflicts. A comprehensive framework should be established to ensure the nation's economy can withstand unexpected global shocks,' he said. He also stressed the importance of reinforcing economic cooperation among Asean nations so the region is less exposed to turbulence in the Middle East or among global powers. 'We can't face global challenges like this in isolation. Asean must act as a united economic bloc with mutual support,' he said. He further noted that such threats should also be seen as an opportunity to accelerate domestic economic empowerment and reduce reliance on external markets. 'Crises often open doors for reform. Entrepreneurs must be bold enough to adapt and move forward so their businesses can endure under any circumstances,' he concluded. * 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
