KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sandakan must wake up and realise that maintaining cleanliness is a shared responsibility, not just the duty of the authorities, says Sandakan MP Vivian Wong.
She stressed that while efforts have been made by the Sandakan Municipal Council to beautify the town, the real challenge lies in changing the people’s mindset towards cleanliness.
“The cleanliness issue starts with the mentality of the people in Sandakan. I appreciate the effort of the council to beautify Sandakan, but we also need the cooperation of all Sandakan residents and the community,” she said.
Speaking to the press after launching the 22nd Sabah State Cadet, Junior, and Under-21 Karate Championship at Sandakan Sports Complex, Wong revealed that RM300,000 from the federal budget had been spent on cleaning up parts of Sandakan, including Kampung Sim Sim. However, she said this was only a temporary fix.
“With the cleanliness of the whole of Sandakan, our budget to clean up Sandakan… I have used RM300,000 of the government’s money just to clean Jambatan 8 in Kampung Sim Sim.
“That amount was used for machinery to dig and transport all the garbage in the area. This is all cost and is from public funds. If we all work together and take care of our surroundings, RM300,000 could be put to better use—education, upgrading public facilities, and other community needs,” she said.
She emphasised that without a change in mentality, clean-up efforts would continue to drain public funds every year.
“This is a cycle. If next year, we come back again, all the rubbish will be back in Jambatan 8. When tourists come and see that it’s very dirty, Sandakan’s reputation suffers. As the MP, I will have to use my allocation again to clean Jambatan 1, Jambatan 2, Jambatan 3.
“It’s time for everyone to realise that keeping Sandakan clean and beautiful isn’t just the job of the council or the MP—it’s the responsibility of the entire community,” she said.
Despite the cleanliness issue, Wong noted that Sandakan has seen a rise in tourist arrivals, including visitors from China.
“I also received data from tour guides around Sandakan that at the end of last year, many tourists came to Sandakan, including visitors from China,” she said, adding that a recent accident involving a bus carrying Chinese tourists had been resolved.
“When I asked, many tour guides said that more tourists are coming to Sandakan, and sometimes they don’t even have time to accept bookings. This is a good sign. Maybe we don’t see large tour buses, but the numbers are increasing,” she said.
She pointed out that growing interest in Sandakan is reflected in the number of flights serving the town.
“Now is the time for more people to visit Sandakan. Some travellers may be looking for new destinations and realise, ‘I haven’t been to Sandakan yet—this is the right time.’
“That’s why Batik Air started flying from KL to Sandakan last year. Every day, there are now five flights from KL to Sandakan,” she said.
Wong hopes airlines will expand their routes beyond Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu to include direct flights from Johor Baru, Penang, Singapore, and even international destinations.
“Many people don’t know that our airport runway has been extended. The project is complete, but no international flights have landed in Sandakan yet.
“Because of that, some people think the project was cancelled, but that’s not true. Everything is ready—we’re just waiting for airlines, and we’re actively working to bring them in,” she said.
While tourism infrastructure is improving, Wong stressed that the success of Sandakan as a tourist destination also depends on the people’s hospitality and efforts to maintain the town’s cleanliness.
“When airlines come to Sandakan, it becomes an even stronger tourist destination. But the question is—how is our whole community in Sandakan? We need to be good hosts.
“I will keep telling my people, to be a good host, and visitors will come. Share the best of Sandakan on social media.
“Show what makes Sandakan special, and that will naturally attract more tourists who want to experience the unique history, nature, and culture our town has to offer,” she said.
