Sarawak minister urges Hannah Yeoh to take closer look at Borneo states in new role as youth minister

KUCHING, Dec 6 — State Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today said that he hopes Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh will pay attention to Sabah and Sarawak's sports development.

“If she wants to come to Sarawak, we will be very happy,” Karim told reporters after unveiling Sarawak Tourism Board’s Next Generation Travel Portal and App.

He said many federal ministers are only focused on Peninsular Malaysia when it comes to programmes, activities and visitations.

“It is our hope that whoever is a federal minister, in whatever capacity, must always remember that there are two big states in Borneo,” he said.

Abdul Karim said Yeoh is a very experienced politician and well accepted by the people, as shown in the recent 15th general election (GE15) where she was among the candidates to receive the highest number of votes.

“I believe she will be a good youth and sports minister,” he said.

Abdul Karim, who is also the state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts minister, said he is also looking forward to meeting with the new federal Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

He said he is grateful that another Sarawakian has been appointed as the tourism minister, replacing Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who has been reassigned as the Women, Family and Community Development minister, in the unity government.

He said it would be easy for him to call and talk to Tiong since both are Sarawakians.

Abdul Karim said he will pay a courtesy call to Tiong after the federal minister has settled down.

“But, of course, we want more allocations for tourism-related projects from the federal government,” he said.

He said many tourists who come to Sarawak are from big cities, and not typically there for the shopping, but to have a feel of nature.

“All those areas which are nature-related must have good facilities such as toilets and parking spaces, and that is where we want the federal tourism ministry to come in. We cannot just push these things to the local councils to take care of,” he said.