KOTA KINABALU – Former world number one shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei is set to put in the same hard work and determination as Sabah’s tourism ambassador that he did in his badminton career.
“I see this as a challenge. I faced challenges during my career, and now that I have retired, I see this as a new job with a new challenge, and I want to get the best results for this too.
“I have a different character; when I want something done, I will focus until I achieve my target.
“Right now, my target is to help attract people from all over the world to Sabah,” he said.
Lee said this last night, during a live session on the Sabah Way Forward Facebook page with Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman.
He also admitted to having received a lot of negative feedback from Sabahans who have questioned his appointment despite the fact that he is not an East Malaysian.
“Sabah people, please don’t be mad. I know I am not a Sabahan, but my position is the same as all of you. We are all Sabah’s ambassadors; we are all here to promote Sabah as a tourism destination.
“It is a way of giving back to the country. Sabah is part of Malaysia and I am Malaysian. Maybe after this, I will promote tourism for the whole of Malaysia,” he said.
Earlier, Noredah explained that Lee was chosen as ambassador to promote Sabah next year for his persona, fame, and influence.
“Look at the uproar that his appointment has brought; it shows how influential Lee is, and now people in Sabah are paying attention to this, whether or not they have a positive opinion, this is a good thing,” she said.
From the forum, it is understood that next year, Lee will climb Mount Kinabalu, witness the cultural festivities in Sabah, including the Kaamatan festival and Regatta Lepa, and visit islands in Semporna and wildlife in Sandakan.
The badminton legend said he was also open to trying local traditional delicacies such as butod (sago worm), bambangan (traditional fruit), bosou (fermented fish), and tuhau (wild ginger). –The Vibes, November 19, 2021
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