10 July 2002 Borneo Mail
"Commenting on Kinabalu Park, Prof Hiroshi Machida of the Tokyo Metropolitan University said its flora and fauna was well protected and it was certainly an added attraction to tourist visiting Sabah. 'As a first timer, I can only say that the scenery of Mount Kinabalu is splendid and beautiful.'
He said compare to Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Kinabalu is a non volcanic mountain and this enabled the visitors to climb the mountain throughout the year, thus it is a boost to the local tourist industry"

June 2002 Going Places by David Bowden
"There are two commercial rafting opportunities in Sabah and both should be considered for those with an adventurous spirit and a little time on their hands. The Kiulu River is mostly sedate and ideal for beginners, while the Padas River is more demanding as the waters are wilder. It is seem sensible to start on the easier river and then graduate to the Padas if I was still in one piece after day one……Sabah offers many adventurous activities. For an adrenaline rush like no other, there's nothing like white water rafting.

1 June 2002 Borneo Mail
"Homestay program which was introduced by the Ministry of Culture, Art and Tourism has directly involved in increasing the tourism sector and our country's economy…… I believe with the involvement from the community in this program, will create an awareness and sense of value by the village people towards their culture and nature's heritage says Datuk Karim Haji Bujang, the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Science and Technology.

HOMESTAY SCHEME CAN BOOST TOURISM:KARIM
Tuesday August 6, 2002 (BORNEO MAIL, by Nancy Lai)

KOTA KINABALU: The Homestay Programme is a tourism product that can boost the State's tourism industry.

Through this programme, tourists can experience the lifestyle and daily activities of their hosts, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Environment, Science and Technology Datuk Karim Bujang said.
"When overseas, you hear a lot of Malaysians like the experience of going to fruit orchards in summer to pick strawberries, apples, cherries and plums, so why not we give the same experience to tourists visiting the State," he said.

He pointed out through homestay programmes, the tourists not only learn new things but also get the opportunity to experience the local culture and the fruits of their labour.
Karim also said that the response to homestay programme carried out in the State has been very encouraging.

"We have homestay programmes in Long Pasia, Kampung Minyak in Kudat, Kampung Batu Putih in Kinabatangan and Kampung Gana in Papar and the feedback I received is very encouraging,"he said.
According to Karim, the "operators" of this programme are people who have big houses with extra rooms and are doing it to supplement their family income.
To ensure that they are doing the right thing, Tourism Malaysia and Sabah Tourism Promotion Board (STPC) are working hard to provide training to those who areinterested in starting a homestay programme, Karim said.

"Their houses will be given accreditation by officers from the Tourism Ministry to ensure the infrastructure and facilities are accordign to standards set," he said.