Ministry introduces formula to ease burden caused by Sabah Parks fee hike
KINABALU: The state Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment has come up with a formula to ease the burden caused by the price hike for the Mount Kinabalu Climb permit fee and the entrance fee to Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring, which was implemented on Jan 1 this year.
In announcing this, minister Datuk Christina Liew said her ministry had approved the formula after a meeting with the director of Sabah Parks, Dr Maklarin Lakim and his management team on Monday.
“We are giving a three-month grace period from October to December 2022 prior to implementation of the new fees.
“For paid reservations before Jan 1, 2023, we will still adopt the old rate. This is because packages had already been sold before the announcement of the increase in fees on Oct 26, 2022,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Liew added however that all packages sold after Jan 1, 2023 will be based on the new rate.
She said this in response to public and media enquiries, and to appeals for consideration from the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta), Sabah/Labuan Chapter.
The move, Liew said, is to assist the local tour and travel agents as well as their clients. Last week, a delegation from Matta, Sabah/ Labuan Chapter led by Lawrence Chin raised the matter with the minister during a courtesy call.
As an example, for an adult Malaysian climber, the previous permit fee was RM50, and RM200 for an adult international climber.
Both have since increased by 100 per cent.
As for the entrance fee to the Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring, it was a mere RM3 per adult for locals, and RM15 per adult for international visitors.
The current fee is now RM10 and RM50 per adult, respectively.