State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew said her Ministry and others would be working on a proposed arrangement on Indigenous Cooperation between the New Zealand High Commission and Sabah.

The arrival of New Zeland tourists to Sabah that now stands at 10,000 yearly is expected to increase once this takes shape.

"Hopefully, the memorandum will materialise this year. The bilateral relations between New Zealand and Sabah will be rekindled and move a step further, especially in tourism.

"I am optimistic it will boost tourist arrivals from New Zealand," said Liew, who is also a Deputy Chief Minister, after a courtesy call by NZ Acting High Commissioner Richard Mann.

Mann was on his maiden visit to Sabah and had said New Zealand has a special relationship with Sabah and Sarawak based on educational needs and also indigenous peoples who have strong connections with the Maoris of New Zealand.

"The Minister of Maori Affairs was here last year, so we are focusing a lot on developing indigenous people's links between New Zealand and Sabah and Sarawak.

"That (courtesy call) was a wonderful meeting with the Minister, and I think we found a lot in common and a lot of interest in working together and going forward," he said.