Liew (right) with Sabah Wildlife Department director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.
KOTA KINABALU: Four eco-tourism attractions in Sandakan, Sabah will receive major upgrades with a RM1.25mil allocation.
The funding covers the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Agnes Keith House and the upcoming Martin & Osa Johnson Gallery.
This includes RM750,000 from the federal government and RM500,000 from the Sabah government.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said the upgrades are part of a broader strategy to showcase Sabah's rich biodiversity.
"Sandakan is blessed with incredible wildlife and these upgrades will add value to the visitor experience while ensuring the long-term conservation of our natural heritage.
"These are not just facilities for tourists but critical conservation sites.
"The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, for example, has played a vital role in global wildlife conservation since it opened in 1964," she said during her visit to the centres on Wednesday (May 14).
Liew said the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is the only one of its kind globally, which provides a sanctuary for the endangered species and is also a research and environmental education hub.
The funding will also support the development of the Martin & Osa Johnson Gallery at the PWD 2002 Building in Sandakan. The gallery will showcase the exploration history of the husband-and-wife duo, Martin and Osa Johnson, who documented the wildlife and cultures of the Kinabatangan region in the 1930s.
Liew said the gallery, which will complement the nearby Agnes Keith House, is expected to enhance the cultural tourism offerings in Sandakan, which already draws around 21,000 visitors annually.
The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre are located in Sepilok, a forested area about 25km from Sandakan.
