Published on: Saturday, May 03, 2003 |
Tenom: The Sabah Agriculture Park in Lagud Seberang and surrounding districts here have been earmarked as an international tourism zone, said Federal Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir.
However, in order for this to materialise soon, he urged the State to work closely with the Federal Government to expedite the construction of the Kimanis-Keningau and Tenom-Sipitang roads, apart from carrying out upgrading works on railway services from Beaufort to Tenom.
Stressing this after visiting the park Friday, Abdul Kadir said with the completion of these three projects, it would provide easy access for visitors from nearby Sarawak and Brunei to come to the district.
He also suggested to the State Government to review some of its policies to enable the private sector to invest in the various projects in the interior.
At the same time, he said those interested could also communicate with his Ministry, which has two sections assisting in acquiring loans for small and medium projects.
Better roads not only help the tourism sector but also boost the economy in the interior, he said.
On another note, Abdul Kadir urged the private sector to work hand in hand with the State Government to develop the park, which is currently facing financial constraints due to low income.
Last year, the park made RM363,695 but its operational cost was about RM1.6 million. It recorded 22,397 visitors, of whom 80 per cent were domestic tourists.
The private sector can help in setting up more facilities in the park, reducing overheads and making it more attractive as well as convenient for visitors there, he said.
Abdul Kadir was briefed by the District Officer on the development of the tourism industry in the district such as the formation of the districts very own Tourism Committee that is looking into providing packages on places of interest to visit, instead of only going to the park.
Meanwhile, State Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Karim Bujang, who accompanied Abdul Kadir, assured that the State Government would look into problems faced by the park, especially in generating more income, by encouraging more people to come.
The 1,500-acre Agriculture Park was declared open by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad on March 20, 2001.
