CHIEF Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor welcomed the interest shown by the Turkish Government to establish direct trade relations with Sabah.
“We welcome the idea and the Sabah Government will do its best to facilitate investments from Turkey,” he said during a meeting with Turkey Ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Merve Safa Kavakci, at Menara Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu, Feb 21.
Kavakci earlier told Hajiji that they see Sabah not just as one of the states in Malaysia but as a gateway to the Asean region.
According to her, a group of business people from Turkey will be coming to Kuala Lumpur in March, which she said some would be coming to Sabah to seek investment ventures.
Kavakci said in addition to trade and education initiatives, she aims to promote Sabah’ tourism attractions not only in Turkey but also neighbouring countries that have ties to Turkey.
The Ambassador’s entourage included her Trade Counsellor Elif Haliloglu Gungunes, Tourism and Information Affairs Counsellor Begum Sahin, Press Counsellor Zeynep Havva Rafique and Director of Turkish Cultural Institute of Yunus Emre, Dr Omer Altun.
State Secretary Datuk Seri Sr. Safar Untung, Invest Sabah CEO Datuk Madiyem Layapan and State Economic Planning Unit Director Jamine Teo also attended the meeting.
Turkish diver Sahika Ercumen, the current world record holder for variable weight-free diving without using breathing, is helping Sabah Tourism Board (STB) to make Sabah an exciting destination.
“This cooperation is indeed a win-win strategy for Sabah and Turkey which is the gateway to Europe, United States, Middle East and Asia,” said Kavakci, who expressed hope closer ties between Turkey and Sabah can be continued in the field of education through Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
“We are very confident Ercumen’s contribution will also be a driving motivation for the younger generation throughout the world to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the marine ecosystem,” she said.
Kavakci said Ercumen will also learn the range of sports tourism available in Sabah and promote the State as a tourist destination for Turkish citizens.
According to Ercumen, she will be joining a programme with STB to carry out underwater filming for a documentary at Sabah’s famed dive spots, including Sipadan and Kapalai, in the east coast.
Ercumen’s team spent seven days filming the documentary.
Ercumen during one of her dives.
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