Abd Karim: S’wak govt to look into gazetting Three Sisters Waterfall in Baram as nature reserve
by marilyn ten · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (Nov 19): The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts will work with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) to look into gazetting the Three Sisters Waterfall in Baram as another nature reserve.
Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that in leading towards this, it would be practical to engage with the local community in the surrounding area to establish a Community-Based Development Committee coordinated by the Divisional Tourism Task Group of Miri Resident Office.
“This will allow for the committee to slowly embrace the same objective of turning the site into one of the ecotourism draws for Miri Division,” he said during his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting here.
He was responding to Dato Dennis Ngau’s (GPS-Telang Usan) recent suggestion for the waterfall to be gazetted as a new nature park or reserve.
Dennis in his debate on the State Budget last week, had pointed out that the waterfall, situated between Long Beku and Long San in Ulu Baram, has become a popular destination for nature lovers where its pristine environment and unique features have set it apart from other attractions in Malaysia.
He also said that the waterfall, which features three distinctive cascading falls flowing side by side into one big pool below, was akin to one being at a Hollywood movie site.
Abdul Karim in his speech also touched on tourism development in Lundu, which has been earmarked as the next Dubai of Sarawak.
“The commissioned studies have prioritised tourism-related development that needs to be implemented and identified them into priorities so that these projects and programmes shall be packaged for the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).”
He said SFC has implemented several initiatives aimed at both conservation and providing tourists with unique, nature-connected experiences the protection of endangered sea turtles at nesting beaches, islands particularly at Talang Satang Islands and Tanjung Datu National Park.
“These initiatives include the Sea Turtle Conservation Programme and Sea Turtle Adoption Programme, which have been in place at Talang Satang National Park since 2005, with the objective to create awareness on the importance of protecting the endangered sea turtles.
“In addition, our ministry, together with Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) Sarawak, will also make an effort to increase the number of homestay operators and enhance their management skills to address lack of accommodation issues in Lundu once the Unesco Biosphere Reserve is accredited,” he said.
Last week, Azizul Adenan (GPS-Tanjung Datu) when debating the State Budget, had called for a new Lundu District Structural and Tourism Master Plan to be put in place next year for the tourism sector to develop in a sustainable manner.
“Unesco accreditation will not only create long-term economic benefits, but will also help to safeguard our unique wildlife. Furthermore, our turtle breeding beaches will contribute to the region’s distinctive ecological richness.
“These beaches and islands, which are visited by turtles in only a few locations throughout Sarawak, are a natural asset that must be protected and nurtured,” he said.