The Kudat Coco-pot, selling at the retail price of RM9.50 each is an ideal plant décor. The project is an initiative of Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies Berhad or BEST Bhd., a non profit foundation set up by Borneo Eco Tours to help develop local community’s capacity through social entrepreneurship and alleviating poverty in Matunggong, Kudat.

Phil Dobson, Managing Director of Exquisite Borneo Villas (EBV) at The Kudat Riviera commented, “When we saw these coco pots being offered by BEST Berhad, we jumped at the opportunity to purchase 100 of them! Whilst on one hand our resort offers super luxury to our high end guests it also prides itself in its attitude towards environmental responsibility as a highest priority on its agenda. This agenda for EBV stretches to include working alongside local communities wherever possible to enable them to maintain traditional and sustainable industries.

This is both vital for Sabah and also an area that is of huge interest in our sector of tourism. The coco pots are actually wonderful locally manufactured products that blend in perfectly with our villas that are constructed almost entirely of natural materials. We congratulate BEST for taking the initiative to stimulate activity like this within the local communities and encourage them to expand the product base of locally made items. EBV will certainly fully support such initiatives and we are sure other resorts in Sabah will do too. With such a good cause behind this, this would be one record that we would love and encourage to see beaten…!”

Meanwhile, Albert Teo has set a target to sell 10,000 coco-pots in the next five years and hope that more landscape nurseries and resort hotels will come forward to buy this product for their hotels and also to help the local community become more self reliant in improving their own livelihood.

Coconut, regarded as tree with 101 uses does not fit the bill to be a lucrative industry as compared to other cash crops in Sabah like palm oil. Though blessed with coconut trees that fringe the beaches and in the backyard of the locals, the people of Kudat at the northernmost tip of Borneo is not maximizing the potential of this resource as there are alternative cash crops that generate better returns. Meanwhile, the need to improve living standard of the community there is necessary as the youths are leaving to cities for better job with better pay. Not surprisingly, neither the coconut nor the beautiful beach of Kudat is considered an asset to improving the livelihood of the Rungus community.

Looking on the bright side, traditional use of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) has been widespread. Studied had proven that VCO is an ideal remedy to many disease including diabetes and heart disease, as well as tonic to a healthier life. Seeing the potential benefits of VCO, the idea of producing VCO in Kudat is timely. This led to the adoption of Kimihang Virgin Coconut Oil project as a community project by Borneo Ecotourism Solutions and Technologies (BEST) in May 2010 under the Global Environment Facility Small Grant Program (GEF-SGP) funded project. The project was part of the greater Kimihang Environmental Conservation and Community Capacity Building Project that incorporates seven other integrated programs in a small village called Kimihang. A VCO lab was built and funded by the government here while Mr. Ronnie Onginjan, a local entrepreneur was appointed as the main coordinator.

During the span of two years, the VCO production in Kimihang showed tremendous growth with the technical support from BEST Society. In the beginning, ordinary plastic mineral water bottles with no proper label were used and the oil were only marketed to the locals. To enhance the packaging, new 400ml imported glass bottles was imported in 2011. Labels were designed and printed and bar coding and chemistry lab test obtained together with bilingual brochures on the uses of Virgin Coconut Oil. The name BONCO was chosen stands for Borneo Natural Coconut Oil.

BEST Society also stepped up efforts to promote VCO industry by conducting workshops in 2010 and 2011 to produce downstream products including soap making for 31 local village entrepreneurs. All in all, total of RM28,663.20 were spent on VCO projects.

No doubt the production of VCO by the Kimihang villagers is facing stiff competition from bigger and more experienced manufacturers throughout the state of Sabah and from Philippines. To support the small business of these entrepreneurs, BEST Society aims not only to develop the quality of VCO product but help the locals market it to the world. Hence, we are inviting potential strategic partners to promote BONCO both as a business and a means to give back to the local community in Kudat.

The 16-bed Camp Lemaing is named in honor of Lemaing, one of the local mountain guides from Kg. Kiau who led colonial official Sir Hugh Low for the first documented climb to the summit of Mt Kinabalu in 1851. The camp is located at Sambatang Caves on the Kadaimaian River, a fifteen minutes trek below the Minitinduk Gorge.

Camp Lemaing is a community project initiated by Sabah Society and funded by Sabah Credit Corporations with an initial grant of RM70, 000. Mr Albert Teo and the team from BEST Society provide their expertise in develop Camp Lemaing to be a successful community based ecotourism model project, and ecotourism specialist, Borneo Eco Tours (BET) to develop, package, promote and market this camp internationally into a world class ecocamp. The camp was designed in the collaboration between local architecture firms, Arkitrek and Hasegawa & Xavier Associates.

The project team member assembled are Dr Heng Aik Cheng (Sabah Society), Dr Ravi Mandalam (Sabah Society), Martin Moguring (land owner), Joseph (Village Headman of Kg. Kiau Nuluh), Ian Hall (Arkitrek), Yukio Hasegawa and Isabel Sandeman (Hasegawa & Xavier Associates), Albert Teo (Director of BEST Society), Baton Bijamin (Director and General Manager of BET).

Bamboo – the main building material for Camp Lemaing’s structure.	Part of the team at the site.
Architect Ian Hall presenting the concept of Camp Lemaing to project team members.	The project site of Camp Lemaing.
Mr. Albert, Martin and Ian Hall having meeting and inspection at the project site.	Project team meeting in Kg. Kiau.

Construction of Camp Lemaing began in August 2013 with the objective to revive interest in Minitinduk and explore the possibility of turning it into an attractive tourist destination. The project seeks to enhance historical interest in the first ascent of Mount Kinabalu by Sir Hugh Low, and cultural interest in the people of Kiau Nuluh and Minitinduk. BEST Society and the project team reckons that Camp Lemaing will generate sustainable income for local community through employment at the ecocamp thus achieve capacity building, leadership development to alleviate poverty and transform community.

It has all the ingredients to be developed to a world class ecocamp – dramatic and photogenic landscape, historical interest, road accessibility, interesting flora, uninterrupted supply of clean water and an adjacent village whose residents are already familiar with the requirements of tourists.

16th April 2014 is a significant date for Camp Lemaing when the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Borneo Eco Tours (BET), BEST Society, land owner Martin Moguring and Sabah Society was signed for the development of Camp Lemaing – an ecotourism operation near Minitinduk Gorge, Village of Kiau, Sabah.The community based ecotourism project Camp Lemaing – Sir Hugh Low Expedition Camp is funded by Sabah Credit Corporations with an initial grant of RM70, 000. The camp is designed by architects Ian Hall of Arkitrek, Yukio Hasegawa and Isabel Sandeman of Hasegawa Xavier Associates without charge. Mr Albert Teo , Director of BEST Society was invited to provide his expertise to develop this project as a successful model of community based ecotourism project while Borneo Eco Tours (BET) will help to develop, package, promote and market this camp internationally into a world class ecocamp.

As part of the agreement, the project which is owned by the local people will use local building materials as much as possible, utilize and train local people in the construction and operations of the camp with a view to hand over the project once it becomes profitable. One of the objectives to benefit the local community is for every international guest to contribute RM30.00 to Community Development Fund CDF to be managed by the community leaders. In addition to the initial grant from Sabah Society, both BEST Society and Borneo Eco Tours will provide soft loan to cover the deficit in the operations of the camp until it becomes profitable.

The structure of Camp Lemaing in March 2014.	The significant moment – Signing of MOA.
The team with structure of Camp Lemaing.	Artist Impression of Camp Lemaing.

The project seeks to add value to the existing home-stay program with an additional place of interest which the more physically fit among the visitors can add to their itinerary. Furthermore Camp Lemaing will provide a sustainable source of income for local community with employment and business opportunities at the ecocamp.