KUCHING: Sarawak is honoured the hornbill symbol has been used in the newly-launched Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM2020) logo.
“It is an honour for Sarawak to see the hornbill symbol in the VM2020 new logo. We are not being regionalist here but we really feel appreciated and are proud of the new logo,” said Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth & Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He was speaking to reporters at the 13th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference (Apoc13) at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching yesterday.
Welcoming Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s call to make VM2020 a national agenda, the minister pointed out the need for federal assistance to increase the state’s connectivity as part of its initiatives to meet the campaign’s targets.
“We need the federal government to help us have a better connectivity with other states in order to reach out to the campaign’s target market.
“If we have better accessibility, I believe we can receive more tourists,” he emphasised.
Abdul Karim reiterated that the state government would continue to cooperate with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) at the federal level to promote VM2020.
He hoped Sarawak would be included as one of VM2020 destinations apart from other places in the Peninsula.
“I hope Tourism, Art and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi can include our eco-tourism destinations as part of the ministry’s promotional programmes at the international level along with other states like Penang and Malacca,” he said.
