Mabul Dive Lodge set to go ‘green’
SEMPORNA: Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge (Borneo Jungle River Island Tours Sdn. Bhd.) is ready to soar upwards in green entrepreneurship by turning its “Trash to Cash’ through permaculture and recycling methods to achieve an entirely ‘green resort’ on Mabul Island here in the coming future.
The Go Green initiative aims to introduce and promote a sustainable and innovative green entrepreneurship, followed by showing a high commitment to sustainable environmental management practices.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) vice chancellor Professor Datin Paduka Dr. Aini Ideris said the lodge had showed its positive change in the pursuit of green and environmentally friendly tourism after jointly participating in a knowledge transfer program with the Institute of Agricultural and Food Policy Studies and the Faculty of Design and Architecture from UPM for about two years.
Aini said the inspiration of this program was based on a continuation of a five-year past study conducted through the Long-term Research Grant Scheme (LRGS) which had found that the people of Semporna relied on the sea to shed raw sewage and waste.
A total of 10 green initiatives have therefore been implemented through this knowledge transfer collaboration in order to create awareness among the Semporna community as well as the tourism operators on the importance of managing waste and utilizing the current alternative sources for future power supply efficiency.
Aini was speaking at the inaugural launching of the Industrial Empowerment Program: Go Green Initiative with Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge, on Mabul Island here yesterday morning.
“Various efforts are also seen as a catalyst to promote Mabul Island as an eco-tourism destination that highlighted green tourism operations. The continuity of this program is not only benefiting the tourism industry but the schools, local community and tourists as whole in Semporna in the long run,” she said.
In the context of tourism, Malaysia emphasizes on sustainable tourism development and the responsibility of tourism to increase income without affecting the environment while retaining the culture values of the local community. Tourism is also declared as one of the major generators of economic growth in the country as referred to in the National Eco-tourism Plan.
Aini hoped this Go Green initiatives would generate an environmental friendly community and a sustainable tourism industry.
Meanwhile, Sabah Tourism director Awang Ahmad Zaki bin Abu Bakar said Malaysia was one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, which is at the top 10th on the number of arrivals and the top 15th on the total revenue of global receipts.
Zaki believed the tourism industry would continue to grow with the increase in tourists from 24 million in 2009 to 36 million in 2020.
He also noted that the proposed On Job Training (OJT) manual will not only be used by tour operators on Mabul Island but also in Sabah soon. This OJT could be a guide for entrepreneurs to achieve green industry.
The chief executive officer of Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge, Ang Kian Chong@ Dzaqoff Ang (Uncle Chang), said there was a need to overcome environmental issues on Mabul Island, to ensure the island was healthy and hygienic.
Uncle Chang said this collaboration project was an effort for the sake of the tourism industry.
“I strongly support this Go Green initiative by lending my hands in terms of location, manpower and financial support. I feel it’s time for me and my management to continue this Go Green effort completely,” he added.
Knowledge Transfer Program head Professor Madya Dr. Sridar Ramachandran said the empowerment program was a sign that the industry was ready to take over the green venture from the university.
He said the sustainability of the program could only be seen if the industry was directly involved and actively pursued these ten green initiatives.
During the ceremony, Uncle Chang contributed RM96,000 to the efforts made between Uncle Chang and UPM for the go green project.
A plastic bottle innovation contest, in conjunction with the Go Green project, was won by School of Hope, with its ‘Sampan’ product and SK Mabul with its KL tower and an army tank.