SINGAPORE, April 23 -- Sabah is stepping up its push to position itself as a premier eco-tourism destination with the Singapore premiere of "Itam: A Sun Bear Story" yesterday.

Produced by Singapore-based Brainchild Pictures, the 90-minute documentary follows the journey of Itam, a Bornean sun bear, from rehabilitation at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) to her release into the Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the documentary underscores how conservation and tourism go hand in hand in Sabah.

"When you follow Itam's journey, you get a sense of what we are working towards in Sabah, that conservation and tourism are not separate but go hand in hand.

"It is very much a part o...