KIULU: The pilot project on empowering community-based tourism and rural tourism through human capital development was launched at Kampung Rangalau here.
This was following a memorandum of collaboration (MoC) signed between Sabah Tourism Board (STB) and My Qaseh to empower rural people the access to social and economic possibilities in the tourism and hospitality industry.
In the MoC, My Qaseh and STB will facilitate a joint efforts to help the unemployed find work through the My Future Jobs programme run by the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO).
The MoC was signed between both chief executive officers of STB Noredah Othman and My Qaseh Trina Thomas Raj as well as Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah (FeRTAS) president Walter Kandayon.
My Qaseh who has chosen Kiulu to launch the pilot project will be teaming up with FeRTAS to identify unemployed individuals.
Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the project is in line with the state government’s Sabah Maju Jaya agenda and its sustainable development plan.
“Tourism is one of the major contributors to the revenue of rural communities.
“At Sabah Tourism, we place a strong emphasis on developing rural people and exposing them to tourism prospects,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trina disclosed that My Qaseh inked a memorandum of understanding with PERKESO in April this year, allowing them to access 400,000 jobs through the organization’s My Future Jobs platform for the country’s targeted population groups.
“The My Future Jobs platform already has over 8,500 job placement opportunities in Sabah, and we are certain that this relationship will assist Sabah communities, particularly in Kiulu, in obtaining the necessary jobs, especially in the tourism and service industry,” she said.-HS
