o Post 14 th April 2005By Nancy Lai
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Chong Kali Kiat has urged tour operators in Sabah to be sensitive to the needs of the State's environment and eco-system.Chong, who is also Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, said the natural resources, which are Sabah 's tourism industry's assets, must be protected.
In a speech at the launch of "Saving Paradise: The Story of Sukau Rainforest Lodge" book by Albert Teo and Carol Patterson here yesterday, Chong said: "I would like to urge all operators, especially those who operate lodges and tours in fragile environments, not only in the Kinabatangan region, to be sensitive to the needs of such environments and eco-systems."
Chong, whose speech was delivered by Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Karim Bujang, pointed out that areas such as the floodplains of Lower Kinabatangan have many fundamental values and functions.
"Our natural resources within the protected area networks or outside are the very assets on which the tourism industry in Sabah directly or indirectly, is based," he stressed. ,
Tourism players therefore can help nurture the sustainable growth of the industry by adhering to good and ethical practices, he said.
According to Chong, this can be achieved by simply avoiding selfish short-term economic gains and non-sustainable activities at the expense of our nature-based tourism resources and the industry as a whole.
The industry, he said, needs to cultivate best practices, develop benchmarks and promote high standards of development and services. "A critical stage in the development of the industry today lies in the need to find ways to regulate its members and help them to toe the line," he said, adding that the book launch could be a start.
Chong further said that the success of Sukau Rainforest Lodge should be emulated by tourism operators so that Sabah can be known internationally for quality eco-tourism products.
Towards this end, he said, the Government would like to see more investors and operators invest in ecotourism products of quality and value, which will not only Protect and conserve the environment, but also generate employment and spin-off opportunities and economic benefits, especially for rural communities.
Meanwhile, Karim, when met after the launch of the book, said that local communities in Sukau must be made to understand the Government's efforts to assist them.
"We found out that it is best that the people understand that what the Government is doing is for their future," he said, adding that most of these people now understand just how important the flora and fauna found there are to their livelihood.
Karim pointed out that wildlife such as the Proboscis monkey is now an icon to the local communities in Lower Kinabatangan and the people realize that without this animal and other wildlife, such as the Pygmy elephants, nobody would go to Sukau.
He also suggested that the villagers there consider farming the "udang galah" (freshwater prawns) instead of being too dependent on what is readily available in the wild.
"What will happen in years to come when the river cannot produce enough freshwater prawns to cater to the demand... That is why they have to look for some other sources," he stressed.
