Ronan Keating @ Marine Awareness Month 21-22 April 2012

International artiste to promote coral reef restoration

March 20, 2012, Tuesday

PULAU GAYA: The Bunga Raya Island Resort spa will fly into the State the world-renowned Irish artiste, Ronan Keating, as part of their effort to promote the Marine Ecology Research Centre’s (MERC) work in coral reef restoration and giant clam propagation.

“Keating has agreed to perform and is excited to become part of it and has expressed eagerness to promote the cause,” said Bunga Raya Island Resort Spa’s owner, Gillian Tan, who pins the hope that the message to save the sea through coral reef restoration and giant clam propagation will spread throughout the world following Keating’s involvement in the effort.

Keating will give a dine-and-song performance at the resort on April 21, which is exclusive for in-house guests between 7.30pm and 11pm.

Tickets for the event is priced at RM1,000 per person.

He will appear the next day as a guest performer at the resort’s Marine Day Beach party which will take place between 9am and 5pm.

Tickets for this event are sold at RM200 each and are available at the Gayana Eco Resort’s office at Jesselton Point.

Patrons of the beach party will be provided with lunch, lucky draw prizes, a beach kit, music performances by local artistes and Keating, and Zumba with local fitness coach, Michelle Koh.

Patrons will also learn about the MERC’s effort in saving the sea through coral reef restoration and giant clam propagation and will bear witness to the release of 500 giant clam juveniles bred and raised since 2007 into selected ocean nurseries.

MERC will also transfer 1,000 planted corals to selected reefs surrounding the resort.

A total of 1,000 people are expected to turn up for the event and the proceeds derived from this event will be donated to MERC to ensure sustainability and a healthy environment for the future.

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Ronan Keating Dine & Song

21st April 2012
The dinner concert tickets are RM1,000 per head. Since he just recently release his classy new album When Ronan Met Burt, we can’t wait to hear how he has evolved as a vocalist and musician.
Marine Day Beach Party

22nd April 2012
Otherwise, we were told he would also perform on the next day, and tickets go a lot cheaper at RM200. The beach party will include a Zumba Party with Michele Koh!

Celebrity hype aside, this event is really about creating awareness so that we can conserve our planet’s marine ecology.

Would the tourist have shoved a wok into a clam if he/she knew that they were endangered and extremely delicate creatures? We don’t know.

One thing is for sure though. The more awareness people have about the vulnerability of giant clams, the less likely they’re going to die a stupid death.

For more information and to get tickets, call +6 013 854 8184 or email marketing@gayana-eco-resort.com.

Ronan Keating In Sabah, All Set To Perform Tonight
on April 21, 201



If you’ve been hearing rumours about Ronan Keating here in Sabah, you heard right. This afternoon, KKMOI attended a press conference where Ronan was queried before his exclusive performance tonight at the private dinner function that costs RM1,000 per head to attend.
http://www.kkmoi.com/2012/04/21/ronan-keating-in-sabah-all-set-to-perform-tonight/

A global envoy for giant clams in the making
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Kota Kinabalu: Former Boy Zone superstar Ronan Keating is considering becoming a "Global Ambassador for giant clams".
"Sting has the rainforest, maybe I have the giant clams," Ronan quipped at a press conference at the Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC), Gayana Eco Resort

"It all made sense because really we didn't know the clams were becoming extinct. We don't know that. That message is not spread back home (UK)" noted Ronan, here to mark a climatic end to the month-long Marine Awareness Month with two shows Saturday night and Sunday lunch time at Bunga Raya Resort and Spa.

A centre-piece of MERC's awareness month was the release of 500 three-year-old artificially spawned and propagated baby giant clams into a sea nursery and replant 1,000 pieces of corals.

The baby giant clams include all seven species of giant clams found in Malaysian waters, including the biggest and considered locally extinct species - the Tridacna gigas and the somewhat smaller T. serasa.

"It is fantastic to see it here first time what these guys are doing and the work that they are doing," Ronan commended, on the only project of its kind in Malaysia.

"It is fascinatingÉI will bring the message back to Ireland, England and Europe," Ronan said. Ronan did not say if the focus of his next global hit song would be about giant clams but confided that he was actually flooded with offers to do different things .

He said Sabah caught his attention as a logical sequence to a film shot in Australia entitled "Goddess" where he played the role of a marine biologist.

"Since I played the role of a marine biologist, I studied a lot about the sea to try to really involve myself in the role.

"I guess I was interested when I heard what it (giant clam propagation project) was and I wanted to understand more."

"So, it is nice to be asked to do this and be involved," he said.

"Besides, I am a fan of Asia, I love being in Asia. I love coming to Asia.

I do a lot of work in Asia and when I heard this, I said that's something I like to learn more about and help. So I am here."

"I have done some stuff in the North Pole regarding the seas and the melting of the ice caps," Ronan said.

"I guess when you are in a situation like mine that you are internationally looked upon as successful and you have a voice, and I don't mean voice as singer as a celebrity to spread the word, to create awareness, you have a responsibility to use that voice, stand up and be heard because there are so many out there who can't be heard and they need to be," Ronan added.

Cancer research is one of the charities he has put a lot of his time and energy into around the world, he said.

But cancer charity wasn't just talk or sing on stage, it was a real show of grit where he swam 56 miles in 35 hours across the Irish Sea last September.

"That was incredible, it was daunting, it was frightening swimming in the night across the Irish Sea. The largest shark in the world lives in the Irish Sea. It was an incredible task but we did it for cancer research," said Ronan who is "really excited" about snorkling around the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.

Meanwhile, Gillian Tan, owner of Gayana Eco Resort, said the first Marine Awareness Month will not be the last, neither the concert from a superstar like Ronan.

"There is a lot of stress yes but it is definitely something great when you have others like Ronan getting involved - we love it and we all look to doing it over and over again," Gillian said.

On the reason behind the Marine Awareness Month, aquatic biologist Alvin Wong who is also the Director of MERC, said:

"We realised the awareness level is not there. There are still a lot of people fishing in an unsustainable manner, there are still people buying bombed fish which are not supposed to be sold in first place.

"So this whole month campaign is meant to tell people that all's not well and that that everyone has a role to play, we all have a responsibility to play to save species slipping into extinction," Wong said.

City Hall to make Kota Kinabalu a clean and beautiful city
23rd April, 2012


KOTA KINABALU: City Hall is stepping up efforts to make Kota Kinabalu a clean and beautiful city.

“Cleanliness is our top priority,” Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir said at the opening of the ‘Marine Day Beach Party’, at the Bunga Raya Resort and Spa yesterday.

The event was held in conjunction with the Marine Awareness month campaign jointly organised by the Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC), Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya Resort and Spa.


Ronand dazzles the crowd
23rd April, 2012
KOTA KINABALU: City Hall is stepping up efforts to make Kota Kinabalu a clean and beautiful city.

“Cleanliness is our top priority,” Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir said at the opening of the ‘Marine Day Beach Party’, at the Bunga Raya Resort and Spa yesterday.

The event was held in conjunction with the Marine Awareness month campaign jointly organised by the Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC), Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya Resort and Spa.

Abidin said City Hall has spent a lot of money and efforts to keep the city clean.

“This includes introducing proper waste management for the people living on the islands and coastal areas within the city’s jurisdiction.

“We have been carrying out various intensive cleanliness programmes on the mainland as well as nearby villages on Gaya Island,” he said.

To support the marine awareness programme, the mayor said City Hall would be intensifying enforcement personnel effort to curb the indiscriminate dumping of rubbish like plastic bags into the sea.

“Our campaign to reduce the usage of plastic bags has received tremendous support and we will even consider extending the number of days for the ‘No Plastic Bags’ campaign from the present three days a week,” he said.

And, he also said beautification was another vital agenda of City Hall.

Abidin said they have carried out various beautification projects to improve the landscape of Kota Kinabalu, including planting thousands of trees and flower plants over the last decade.

He said plants were not solely for aesthetic purpose but to also contribute oxygen and function as natural carbon sink.

However, he said most of such efforts were concentrated on land although 75 per cent of the earth is covered in water.

“As Kota Kinabalu boundary covers both land and sea, it is equally important that beautification is not only confined to land but also the sea.

“The sea is also a natural carbon sink and many marine organisms like giant clams are producing oxygen from photosynthesis as well,” Abidin said.

He congratulated MERC for taking the initiative to rehabilitate the marine eco-system by restoring the coral reefs and to repopulate the beautiful giant clams.

He noted that MERC had introduced 500 pieces of three-year-old clams into the sea during the month-long Marine Awareness Month.

It had also integrated to the reef 1,000 pieces of branching coral planted from broken fragments more than a year ago.

“Now that the giant clams are introduced back to the sea, it is the responsibility of everyone to play their part to keep the clams alive.

“I was made to understand that there are still more than 2,000 pieces of giant clams ready for re-introduction to the sea, and 3,000 pieces of corals waiting to be integrated back to the reef,” the Mayor said.

He also urged other corporate bodies to emulate MERC’s meaningful project which it financed fully.

“With more participation from the corporate bodies and each and every citizen of Kota Kinabalu, I believe we can even accelerate the beautification process in greater magnitude,” he said.

Also present at the event were Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, resort owner Datuk Robert Tan and Kota Kinabalu traffic and public safety head, DSP Peter Umbuas.

Meanwhile, Irish singer, Ronan Keating who joined hands with the resort to spread marine conservation message was also present and performed in front of more than 1,000 people.

Ronan crooned his tunes on a scow used as a stage where he charmed the audience with a selection of nostalgic favourites and some newer songs.

A string of activities and performances were held including a beach zumba dance session with fitness instructor Michelle Koh.

Ronan is scheduled to leave for New York today (Monday).

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/58107

Ronan comes to aid of giant clams with his voice and fame
April 23, 2012, Monday

KOTA KINABALU: The giant clams of Sabah may soon have their own ambassador appointed in the person of the world renowned singer Ronan Keating.

“Maybe this is something I can be an ambassador for globally. Sting has the rainforest, maybe I have the giant clams,” said Keating, of Boy Zone fame, during a press conference held at the Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC) yesterday.

The celebrity said he would like to use his voice to assist in creating an awareness and to spread the word and message around globally as well as to inform the people back in his home in Ireland, the United Kingdom and in Europe of the plight facing the giant clams in Sabah.

Keating expressed his liking to do so “because the community back home’ do not know that the clams are becoming extinct.”

“We really don’t know. That message is not spread at home. I would like to learn and take that message back. I hope others will follow suit, and other people of my situation can do the same,” he said.

The Irish singer arrived here on April 20 and will leave today. During his stay here, he will assist MERC to spread its awareness campaign on the preservation and restoration of the coral reefs and the propogation of the giant clams through his performance which took place on Friday, and the encore yesterday at the Bunga Raya Island Resort.

Keating also expressed his interest to learn more about the giant clams the moment he heard of it.

“When I heard it, I said yes. This is something I wanted to learn more and help with, and that’s why I am here,” he said.

He also commended the works carried out by the staff at MERC, saying, “It is fantastic to see it here, first hand, to what the guys are doing and the work they are doing. People at home, in Ireland and in England, we don’t hear enough about it, we don’t know enough about it. I hope also I can come here and raise the awareness, and to bring the message back to Ireland, England and Europe.”

Keating said he found it very important to use his voice to try and help causes that he is keen on and concerned about.

“I have done numerous things globally over the years. When you are in a situation like mine, where you are internationally looked at as successful, you have a voice and you can use it. It is very important that we do that, whether that be for a charity. (And) I do a lot of work for cancer charities around the world also,” Keating said.

He said those endowed with a good voice have a responsibility to use it and be heard because there are many people that can’t be heard and that they need to be heard.

“As much as I can, when I am asked, and something that concerns me or something that I am interested in, I like to try and help.”

Among the issues he has tried to help address is the melting ice caps and the sea issue in the North Pole.

“As much as I can, I like to do it. This is something I am learning more and more about. I am not an authority on this, by any means, but I am trying to educate myself and understand more about it. The most important thing is to educate myself and to create awareness.”

And in September last year, Keating swam across the Irish Sea for a charitable cause.

He described the experience of swimming 56 miles in 36 hours as daunting and a frightening experience.

“It was frightening. It was incredible. Swimming across the ocean in the darkness of the night. The largest shark in the world is in that sea. We did it for cancer research,” he said.

Meanwhile, apart from doing his bit to create awareness and help in the plight of the giant clams, Keating also expressed hope to scuba dive whilst in Sabah.

“I will definitely do some scuba diving and snorkelin,” he said, hastening to add that he finds Sabah ‘fantastic’.


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The star is on track to becoming an ambassador for the endangered species after performing at a Save The Giants event in Borneo this week.

And Ronan, 35, fancies a shot at creating global awareness about the breed which is close to extinction, singing: “Yes we clam!”

Speaking in Borneo, Ro said: “Maybe this is something I can be an ambassador for globally. Sting has the rainforest, maybe I have the giant clams.”

He also expressed his concern that Irish people don’t know about this environmental issue.

Ro continued: “This is something I wanted to learn more about and help with, that’s why I’m here. That message is not spread at home. I’d like to take that message back. I hope other people of my situation can do the same.”

Ronan added he reckons it is important to use his fame for good causes.

He said: “When you are in a situation like mine, where you are internationally looked at as successful, you have a voice and you can use it.

“It is very important that we do that. I do a lot of work for cancer charities around the world also.”

Keating, who announced his split from wife Yvonne earlier this month, was also in Borneo to promote his new film Goddess.

The Rollercoaster star plays a marine biologist — which he says stirred up his interest in the giant clams’ calamity.

And while admitting he isn’t an expert on the mollusc, he is now on a mission to educate himself about them.

He said: “Since I played the role of a marine biologist, I studied a lot about the sea to try to really involve myself in the role.

“I guess I was interested when I heard about the giant clam propagation project and I wanted to understand more. So, it is nice to be asked to do this and be involved.”

And he boasted that his good works don’t stop there. Ro said: “I have done some stuff in the North Pole regarding the seas and the melting of the ice caps.

“As much as I can, when I am asked, I like to try and help.”

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Ronan Keating wants to save the clams. Yes, really...
today at 10:47 am

Is it just us or has Ronan Keating gone a bit mental? Now don’t judge us. It’s a valid question. Why? Well…eh…his latest mission involves dedicating his life to saving the giant clam…

Yeah, you heard us.

The Irish Sun reports that the Boyzone singer wants to become an ambassador to save the giant clam, which is an endangered species. Isn’t he so selfless? We’d imagine if he wanted to save anything it’d be his failing music career (oh yeah, we went there…)

Anyway, Ronan apparently performed at the Save the Giants event in Borneo this week and since he took to the stage and sang the words: “Yes we clam!” (seriously) he wants to get involved with creating some global awareness about the giant clam species.

“Maybe this is something I can be an ambassador for globally. Sting had the rainforest, maybe I have the giant clams,” he said, speaking in Borneo.

“This is something I wanted to learn more about and help with, that’s why I’m here. That message is not spread at home. I’d like to take that message back. I hope other people of my situation can do the same,” he added.

Eh…do we even have any giant clams in Ireland? More importantly, would anyone really care if Ro started pontificating to us about their welfare? Our guess is no…

“When you are in a situation like mine, where you are internationally looked at as successful, you have a voice and you can use it,” said Ronan.

Now call us cynical but maybe the reason why Ronan is suddenly so sincere about saving giant clams is down to the fact that he was in Borneo to promote his new film Goddess.

And of course, he couldn’t resist the urge to have a bit of a boast about all his other ‘good’ deeds, y’know, to show that he’s a ‘good’ person so the media would forget about the fact that he cheated on his wife.

“I have done some stuff in the North Pole regarding the seas and the melting of the ice caps. As much as I can, when I am asked, I like to try and help,” he added.

We’re sure the giant clams are absolutely thrilled…

Read Here

Ronan Keating live in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, April 2012
April 23rd, 2012

The press conference was done in the afternoon of 21st April.

A RM1K per head acoustic concert for several hundred people was held at Bunga Raya Resort’s poolside on the evening of the same day. Some videos:

Probably his most-well known tune – When You Say Nothing At All, his first UK no.1 single as a solo singer (1999)



His second UK no.1 single (2000) – Life Is a Rollercoaster



The next day, a RM200 per head concert for around 1,000 people was held on a barge at the same resort. It was my first ever barge concert – heard it cost RM50K to rent that.

The barge in the early morning – appropriately it’s adorned like a giant clam, in line with the theme of the event

At 2pm Ronan made his appearance. He emerged from his beachside chalet, walked straight onto the stage and performed until around 3.

Interesting arrangement on doing a concert on an island, where the star also stays there. In a normal concert, the star would arrive at the last minute and then be whisked off. But here he had to be cocooned inside his chalet before and after his set – walking quickly outside, then back in. Chaos could’ve easily ensued – people could’ve mobbed him on his way to/from the stage, or laid siege on his chalet. Luckily our fans are not as crazy as in some other parts of the world. Not sure if that won’t happen if it’s someone like Justin Bieber’s inside though :-)

I must say I only know his old songs, and didn’t follow recent developments – I can’t remember if I’ve ever heard the first song that he sung before – very good melody/refrain that’s still with me even now – the first song in any concert is very important for first impressions. Daytime concerts are different from night-time ones because you can’t really play with lights/smoke machines to create dramatic effects – so the musicians need to be really good to carry the mood – which in this case they surely did.

When You Say Nothing At All



Life Is a Rollercoaster



If you notice the makeshift wooden stairs from the beach up to the stage, with that too-long horizontal beam [I expected the usual metal/aluminium ones], plus that rusty part of the barge right in front of Ronan, it created a somewhat endearing, “kampung”-like atmosphere which contrasted with the sight of an internationally renowned, 42-million album selling, 9 UK number 1 single-scoring vocalist (6 with Boyzone and 3 solo).

Bunga Raya is probably Sabah’s most exclusive resort – my first impression upon arrival was – nice location, but perhaps I was expecting a little too much on the wow factor.

The published rates range from RM1,700+ to RM8,000+ per night. My simple and small cup of coffee cost about RM14 at the restaurant – service could be better though.



http://bengodomon.com/2012/04/23/ronan-keating-live-in-kota-kinabalu-sabah-april-2012/

Ronan Keating: new studio album turning out to be singer-songwriter/rock
April 24, 2012

[Gaya Island, Kota Kinabalu] Irish singer Ronan Keating said his new studio album is turning out to be a singer-songwriter album with a rock feel, from the original idea of a folk album.

“I’ve spent the last four or five years working on concept albums, and now I’m ready to write a new album. I’ve started writing for it, and it started with a folk feel, but has developed more into a singer-songwriter, with kind of a rock feel to it.

“It’s developed and I think that’s what happens with albums, they change; you start writing something but later it ends up being something else.”

He was speaking at a press conference on April 21, before his two scheduled performances at Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa, the highlight of “Marine Awareness Month” organised by the Marine Ecology Research Centre [MERC].

Keating’s last album was ‘When Ronan Met Burt’, an album of the most popular songs by Burt Bacharach, which was produced by Bacharach and Greg Wells.

“The Bacharach album was great, I loved working with Burt,” Keating said. He highlighted recording with a 40-piece orchestra and being in the same studio where Frank Sinatra recorded albums engineered by producer Al Schmitt.

“It was intimidating to be honest. I still feel like I’m a student, you know? Burt Bacharach! 83 years of age, he’s worked with the best, written some of the best songs ever which are still on the radio to this day. But I did it, and it was an honour.”
Highlights of Marine Awareness Month [MAM]

MERC transfered 500 3-year-old Giant Clams into selected ocean nursery sites, having successfully reared all seven species of Giant Clam indigenous to Sabah waters in-house, even reintroducing two species into our waters which had already become extinct here.
MERC also transferred one thousand 1-year-old coral fragments from their ocean nursery to be attached to selected reef sites.
MERC had an outreach drive to encourage local schools and other organisations to visit the centre, to raise awareness about marine biodiversity conservation, with a focus on the Giant Clams.
MAM ended with a fine dining and music event featuring Keating, followed by a Beach Party the next day, all at Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa.

In a separate interview, MERC Project Director Alvin Wong said, “We consider this the completion of the first phase of the project, where we are now moving the clams back into the sea.

“All this while, this has been our responsibility: we control the environment, and control the condition of the water. It’s has been our responsibility to see that the clams grow and survive. But now we have put them back into the open sea, it is not just our responsibility, but everyone’s. We can’t control the content of the sea water. So everyone has a role to play. To understand what we are doing.

“That’s why we had this Marine Awareness Month. To raise awareness that it’s not just our project, but something that concerns everyone. It’s about giant clams, but we called it “Save The Giants” because the clams are slipping towards extinction, and if nothing is done then they will be gone for good. If they are extinct, there will be no way we can revive them. So we invite everyone to join together, and play their role in this campaign.

Keating is contributing his name to this effort. “I’ve done numerous things for charity over the years…When you’re in a situation like mine you have a responsibility to do that,” he said, adding that he’s glad to be able to lend his name to raise awareness here about marine environmental issues. More importantly, he can go back to the UK and tell people what’s going on out here. He said he’s not an authority on this subject yet but it is “something I’m learning more and more about.”

Keating is no stranger to charity work. After his mother died of breast cancer he established the Marie Keating Foundation, and he and the Foundation have helped to raise over £1.7 million for Cancer Research UK. He ran the London Marathon and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for charity, and has been a UN Goodwill Ambassador. In September last year, he swam the Irish sea Dublin to Holyhead as part of a team of 11 celebrities, raising £1 million for cancer research in the UK.

At the end of the press conference Keating said it’s nice to be able to do this, and he could possibly become an ambassador for the cause globally. “Sting’s got the rainforests, maybe I’ll have the Giant Clams,” he quipped, adding that he plays a marine biologist in the Australian movie musical “Goddess,” his debut acting role with UK stage actress Laura Michelle Kelly.

The clams might be giant ones, but the musicians in Ronan’s band are pretty darn huge.

Ronan Keating’s band

Keith Duffy, bass player for ten years with The Corrs and four years with The Commitments band
Steve Barney, drummer for Jeff Beck and Annie Lennox
Band Musical Director Calum MacColl, guitarist, singer, songwriter, co-founder of Red Grape Records


More

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Video: Ronan Keating sings Lovin’ Each Day for Opening Performance
on April 30, 2012

Here is the 3rd video of Ronan Keating’s performance on 21st April 2012 at the Dine & Song

for ‘Save the Giants’ at Bunga Raya Resort, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.

For more information on giant clam conservation, please visit http://www.bungarayaresort.com

kkmoi



Ronan wants to be ambassador for giant clams


ONE FOR THE ALBUM... Ronan with the media

30th April, 2012

It’s not often that international celebrities come to perform in Sabah so when word came out that Ronan Keating would be coming, Kota Kinabalu was bursting with excitement to welcome him.

I for one could not wait to see the Irish singer in person because even on television, he came across as someone with talent, charisma and charm.

When Boyzone was at their peak in the late 1990s, I was still in secondary school and one of their many legions of admiring fans. The thought of finally getting to meet the former frontman of Boyzone was for me – just awesome!

This great opportunity was arranged by the Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa which flew in the singer-songwriter, musician and philanthropist in an effort to promote their Marine Ecology Research Centre’s (MERC) work in coral reef restoration and giant clam propagation. Ultimately, the hope is that the message to save the sea through coral reef restoration and giant clam propagation will spread throughout the world with Ronan’s involvement in the effort.

Ronan arrived in Kota Kinabalu on Friday, April 20 to mark a climatic end to the month-long Marine Awareness Month with a show each on Saturday night and Sunday evening at the Bunga Raya Resort and Spa.

Before his performances, Ronan got to meet the media during a press conference held at the Gayana Eco Resort, where the MERC is, and was asked why he decided to come to Sabah to support MERC’s Giant Clam programme and his other charity projects.

He was very passionate about the fact that as a celebrity, he also has a responsibility to use his talent and stand up and be heard.

“When you are in a situation like mine, where you are internationally looked at as successful, you have a voice and you can use it. It is very important that we do that. So here I am as much as I can and when I’m asked and something that concerns me or something that I’m interested I like to try and help.

“I’m not an authority on this by any means but I’m trying to educate myself and understand more about it. So it’s fantastic to see it here for the first time what these guys are doing and the work that they are doing, it’s fascinating,” he said.

To another question about saving coral reefs and giant clams, he said: “We get a lot of different offers and in my position a lot of different things come across our path. When I heard about it, I was very interested and I wanted to understand more. I am a fan of Asia, I love being in Asia, I love coming here, I do a lot of work here. When I heard this, I said yeah, this is something I like to know more about and help with so that’s why I’m here.”

Ronan pledged to spread the marine conservation message not only in Sabah but also to take the message back to Ireland, England and Europe. He has joined hands with the resort to spread the marine conservation message and talks about being an ambassador for giant clams.

“It’s nice to be asked to do this and to be involved and maybe this is something that I can be an ambassador for globally. Sting has the rainforest so maybe I can have the giant clams,” said the 35-year-old star.

Ronan admitted he found Sabah to be a fantastic and amazing place and even though Ronan answered all the questions well, there was still another question that I and other reporters wanted to ask but sadly questions were limited to only one per person.

After the press conference, Ronan proceeded to plant a coral and later signed the MERC guest book before leaving the Gayana Eco Resort to go to the nearby Bunga Raya Resort & Spa.

During his concert for in-house guests of the resort, Ronan received a warm welcome even without any wild screaming from the 250 people who attended the ‘Ronan Keating Dine & Song’.

The crowd started clapping when Ronan showed up but when he got onstage and flashed his smile, the audience could not hold back their excitement anymore and that was when screaming could be heard.

Without waiting any longer, Ronan started his gig with an old song, Lovin’ Each Day. After the song, Ronan shared how delighted he was to be there with everyone enjoying a beautiful night especially after the rain earlier had stopped.

He then continued with a rendition of The Way You Make Me Feel and If Tomorrow Never Comes and this got most of the audience to softly sing along with him.

Ronan also sang It’s Alright, which is a soundtrack in his movie debut “Goddess” before he broke out into song with the smash hit ballad When You Say Nothing At All.

He was supposed to end the show with Life is a Rollercoaster but the crowd started screaming asking for more.

Ronan smiled and obliged with In This Life and later left the stage to a thunderous applause and even louder screams from his fans.

It was a remarkable performance and I personally feel that he really gets better with age – great voice, great performance and he’s obviously hot!

The next day, Ronan once again performed at the resort but this time in front of more than 1,000 people who joined in the ‘Marine Day Beach Party’.

It is fair to say the audience was predominantly female but there were a few boyfriends, couples and children too.

However, it was the ladies who went wild when Ronan appeared on stage wearing his trademark denim shirt, black sleeveless vest and boots. In an instant, he had them eating out of his hand even before opening his mouth.

Ronan belted out his tunes, a mixture of nostalgic favourites and some new material, during an hour-long concert on a scow that was used as a stage.

Even though the crowd didn’t have a chance to get close-up photos with their idol or his autograph, they still got exactly what they came for – a talented, professional performance of favourite hits with all the trimmings.

Many said they hoped to get another chance to meet Ronan perhaps in a full concert soon.

As for the resort owner, Gillian Tan, the Marine Awareness Month will not be the last, nor will it be the last concert from a superstar like Ronan.

“There’s a lot of stress and effort involved but it’s a great concept when you have people like Ronan getting involved. We love it and we all look forward to doing it over and over again,” she said and urged people to get involved in the marine conservation effort to protect the giant clam. – By ERSIE CHELL ANJUMIN

Here

Pop Star Ronan Keating Backs
Gayana Eco Resort Campaign Saving Giant Clams on Sabah

Former Boyzone star appeared
at Kota Kinabalu ‘Marine Awareness Month’




(Kota Kinabalu, May 7, 2012) – Celebrity Irish pop star and philanthropist Ronan Keating has volunteered to become an ambassador for a campaign to protect endangered Giant Clams and restore coral reefs at Sabah’s internationally-renowned Gayana Eco Resort.

He made the offer during an appearance supporting ‘Marine Awareness Month’ at the resort near Kota Kinabalu.

Over 1,500 fans flocked to a Marine Awareness Day Beach Party highlight of the event on hearing the former Boyzone lead singer was attending. Also renowned as a judge on Australia’s The X Factor, the star performed at two celebrations at sister resort Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa – a Ronan Keating Dine & Song private dinner for 300 guests on April 21, and the public beach party on April 22.

Fans young and old waved, danced and sang along to his hits including ‘When You Say Nothing At All’ – the No 1 hit from the movie Notting Hill – ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ and ‘Life Is A Rollercoaster’.

Ronan Keating’s interest in Gayana’s Giant Clam project is associated with his role in the upcoming movie Goddess, in which he plays a marine biologist. His involvement in the cause may even spark a long-term partnership with the resort’s marine efforts.

“It’s nice to be asked to do this, to be involved, and maybe this is something I can be an ambassador for,” Keating said. “Sting has the rainforest, maybe I have the Giant Clams.”

I’m not an authority on this by any means but I'm trying to educate myself and understand it, and it's fantastic to see what they're doing here. We didn’t know that the Giant Clams were becoming extinct. So, I not only hope to raise awareness here, but also bring back the message to Ireland, England and Europe.

“I have a voice that people listen to. Not a singer voice, but more like a celebrity voice. When you’re in a situation like mine, you have a responsibility to do that; to stand up and speak for those who can’t be heard.

“And I hope that others in my situation will do the same.”

The month-long initiative from March 22-April 22 at the environmental sanctuary on Gaya Island off the coast of Kota Kinabalu celebrated the return to the wild of revived coral and hand-reared juvenile Giant Clams from Gayana Eco Resort’s pioneering Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC).

The event marked a major milestone in the resort’s commitment to restore a coral reef ecosystem ravaged by illegal fishing with explosives.

Over the past few years, broken coral fragments that would have died due to lack of sunlight if left on the seafloor have been collected and nurtured at its research centre.

Having stabilised and flourished under care, a thousand fully grown coral have now been transferred to an ‘ocean nursery’ on the island’s reefs.

Marine biologists have also spawned all seven Giant Clams species found in Malaysian waters at the resort’s nursery – an environmental achievement recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records.

Now 500 of these ‘babies’ have also reached a stage where they can survive in the wild and are being transferred to a reef nursery.

Guests at the eco-resort had the exceptional opportunity of participating in the reef restoration, assisting with coral re-planting over the month-long programme.

MERC plays a unique role in Malaysia’s marine environmental efforts and is internationally renowned. The island research station is not only a pioneering centre for reviving coral reefs and coming to the rescue of Giant Clams, which are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the international CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) treaty to protect wildlife, but it also sets an inspiring example for global eco-tourism – breeding fish to supply restaurants at Gayana Eco Resort and Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa, to reduce over fishing and exploitation of wild local populations.

Blending forward thinking ecology and indulgent luxury, Gayana Eco Resort is 10 minutes by private boat from Kota Kinabalu’s Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, in the South China Sea amid five coral reef islands that make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.

The resort’s 52 thatch-roof villas are connected to each other by rustic wooden bridges providing the ultimate over-water experience.

With marine conservation at its heart and a PADI certified dive centre, guests of all ages participate in restoring vibrant life back to the local reefs, including children who join a Marine Kids Club. The resort also features a Solace Spa.

Sister property Bunga Raya Island Resort is a secluded island hideaway of 48 timbered villas framed by a white sand beach and virgin rainforest.

About MERC
The Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC) started off with humble beginnings in 2007 as a learning and educational centre. With passion derived from its owner, MERC pledged to address the increasing threats on marine life, combating its effects by returning to nature what was previously destroyed. Over a span of just a few years, this centre evolved into a research and rehabilitation facility. MERC has also won the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia Award for Most Innovative Tourist Attraction 2008/09 and the Malaysian Book of Records Award for the first Marine Centre to propagate all 7 species of Giant Clams found in Malaysian waters. For further information, please visit: www.merc-gayana.com

About Gayana Eco Resort
Gayana Eco Resort rests at the edges of a lush coral reef island off the coast of Borneo. 52 overwater villas are architecturally designed to enhance the sounds of the surf below while capturing the enduring vistas of Mt. Kinabalu on the horizon. At its heart, the resort is about protecting our precious Marine Ecology, which includes mangroves, sea grass and coral ecosystem, and the only property with an on-site Marine Ecology Research Centre.
For further information on, please visit: www.gayana-eco-resort.com

About Bunga Raya Island Resort
As sensual and exotic as the hibiscus flower that bears its name, Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa is a romantic and luxurious jewel set on a coral reef island off the coast of Borneo. A secluded island hideaway of 48 timbered villas, the resort is framed by white sand beach on one side and the centuries old virgin jungle on the other. Hillside private villas reflect the simplicity of the Borneo architectural style. Its architectural ingenuity earned the property the prestigious FIABCI Prix D’Excellence Awards in the Resort Development Category.

For further information on, please visit: www.bungarayaresort.com

RONAN KEATING BACKS GAYANA ECO-RESORT CAMPAIGN TO SAVE GIANT CLAMS
Tuesday, May 8, 2012


Pop star Ronan Keating giving a passionate speech about the importance of the environment and protecting giant clams and coral reefs


Night performance by Ronan Keating at Gayan Eco Resort in Kota Kinabalu


FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MALAYSIAN HISTORY A MAJOR POP STAR AKA RONAN KEATING IS LENDING HIS NAME AND FAME TO SUPPORT A WORTHY CAUSE---SAVING THE GIANT CLAMS OFF THE WATERS OF SABAH!

POP STAR RONAN KEATING, EX-MEMBER OF HOT BOY BAND BOYZONE AND WORLD FAMOUS FOR THE HIT SINGLE 'WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL' WAS IN KOTA KINABALU, SABAH RECENTLY TO VOLUNTEER AS AMBASSADOR TO CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT THE GIANT CLAMS AND RESTORE CORAL REEFS AT SABAH'S ACCLAIMED GAYANA ECO-RESORT.

For the uninformed, Ronan Keating was the singer with Boyzone which was sizzling hot in the 1990s. This recording artist, singer songwriter, musician and now philanthropist joined Boyzone in 1994 and well, you know the rest!

For those who don't, Ronan is the youngest of 5 children. His father was a lorry driver while Mum was a hairdresser who died aged 54 of breast cancer in 1998 which devastated Ronan Keating and he launched Marie Keating Foundation for breast cancer awareness and research.

In 1999 he recorded 'When You Say Nothing At All' for the movie 'Notting Hill'. Both song and movie were sensational and paved the way for Ronan to dump Boyzone for a solo career the same way Diana Ross ditched The Supremes and Beyonce abandoned Destiny's Child. Well, look at them now. They are still famous and rich and look what happened to their band---disbanded, abandoned and cordoned off from fame and fortune!

Anyway I really don't see the fuss about 'When You Say Nothing At All' as I think it is a pathetic song. I think he is trying too hard to be clever and failing miserably. What does he mean when he croons 'You say it best, when you say nothing at all'? If this is true, the entire world will be dead silent! No one will sing as this will defeat the dictum of 'when you say nothing at all'!

However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE his 'Life Is A Roller Coaster' as the lyrics are so true! Life is really a roller coaster with ups and downs and plenty of plateaus! The music is so catchy and meaningful and this song is one of my all time favourites!

Ronan Keating is a frequent visitor to Malaysia and has stayed several times at Casa del Mar at Pantai Cenang co-owned by the Sultan of Selangor.

Unlike some names I can name, Ronan Keating is a thoroughly good guy and has not forgotten his roots. Now that he is rich he is doing his bit. He has volunteered to be ambassador to save the giant clams and coral reefs for free but we need not fret if this Irish hunk has enough to eat and feed his 3 kids. Since going solo in 1999 he has released 9 successful albums and he is worth RM 48 million which is more than what I have so he is doing OK.

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It was all fun and games like this work out session with Ronan Keating's fans


Giant clams are getting rarer by the day