SEMPORNA - PARADISE FOR TOURISTS, BOOSTS LOCAL ECONOMY

By Noorazlina Jindeh

SEMPORNA, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Semporna town, located about 540 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu, is becoming increasingly vibrant with the arrival of nearly 2,000 tourists every day, turning the island cluster surrounding the district into a paradise for beach lovers, diving enthusiasts and honeymooners alike.

This influx of visitors not only puts smiles on the faces of local residents, but also injects fresh energy into the tourism industry and boosts the local economy.

Semporna District Officer Mas Syazwan Masood said the number of tourists usually increases between July and October, crowning Semporna as one of the most popular destinations in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu.

"On average, the tourists who come to Semporna are tourists from China, and Semporna is the district with the second highest number of tourist arrivals after Kota Kinabalu," he told Bernama.

Mas Syazwan said there was a slight drop in arrivals from China in October, but this was offset by tourists from other countries.

He also gave an assurance that security in Semporna remains at an excellent level, allowing tourists to move freely around the town and the surrounding islands.

Among Semporna’s popular islands are Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Bohey Dulang and Mataking.

He added that Semporna, which has been under the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) for the past 11 years, continues to benefit from the strong safety measures implemented within the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).

Mas Syazwan noted that the high volume of tourists has made the coastal areas and Semporna town increasingly crowded, especially with 60 to 70 per cent of the district’s 170,000 residents living within the town area.

“We are reviewing the settlement plan so that Semporna town can be developed more systematically while ensuring public facilities and residents’ welfare are preserved,” he said.

The initiative aims to empower local authorities to better manage development control, environmental care, public services and facilities, and the socio-economic well-being of the affected communities.

“We will work towards more organised settlements with better-planned urban and village management because economic activities are more concentrated in the town area,” he added. Semporna covers an area of more than 1,900 square kilometres.

On July 6, Sabah Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the state’s tourism sector generated RM3.3 billion in revenue from January to May this year, following 1.44 million visitor arrivals.

He said this achievement is closely tied to strong security in the state through ESSCom’s cooperation and control, noting that Sabah has not recorded any kidnapping-for-ransom incidents in recent years.

Semporna has three state constituencies, namely Sulabayan, Senallang and Bugaya.

Sabah is holding its 17th State Election. The Election Commission has set Nov 29 as the polling day and Nov 25 for early voting.

For the latest news on the 17th Sabah State Election, please visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php

-- BERNAMA