Mini Film Village Can Boost Sabah Tourism Industry

KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia) Dec 15 (Bernama) -- The proposal to create a mini film village with the concept of ancient Borneo in the 1850s and a one-stop centre for local and international film production companies has been seen capable of boosting the tourism industry in Sabah. Sabah Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Joniston Bangkuai said the film village would also provide employment opportunities to the local people. “Movies filmed in incredible locations in Sabah, if being shown in cinemas abroad, can inadvertently promote Sabah as a tourist destination,” he said in a statement here Tuesday. On the one-stop centre for international production companies to film in Sabah, Joniston said the Sabah Tourism Board could play a role of a facilitator. Joniston, who is also Kiulu assemblyman, said the proposal came about as a result of his meeting with a local film production company which will begin filming a telemovie titled, 'Kusai-Lelaki Dusun Terakhir' in Kiulu next week. He said the telemovie, which will be aired on TV Okey operated by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), will showcase the cultural and social elements, such as the Customary Court, village life, parenting and community aspects of the Dusun people. A total of 35 production crew and actors will camp in Kiulu for 10 days to undergo filming in the tourist area. -- BERNAMA