LIMBANG: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) is committed to developing local eco-tourism.
Malaysia is seen as having high potential to become the best eco-tourism hub in the world, said its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
Just like in Kuala Santaba Patiambun, she said the atmosphere is the same as in Vietnam but the environment here is cleaner, more beautiful and bigger.
“We really want to focus on eco-tourism activities so that tourists will choose Malaysia as the best place for such tourist destination.
“After all, there are other products such as fireflies and Dutch monkeys (proboscis monkey) in Kuala Santaba Patiambun,” she told reporters after a working visit at the Kuala Santaba Jetty in Kampung Patiambun, here today.
She said with the availability of such tourism products in the village area, it will thus attract people to visit the area and thus hoping it will increase the income of the locals.
“When the tourists come here, the villagers will be able to sell their handicrafts as well as do other economic activities.
“For instance, at the Santaba jetty, there are villagers who want to provide boat services, sell handicrafts and food items,” she said.
These activities will be able to boost the economy of the locals in the area.
Also present were Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, Assistant Minister of Agriculture Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang.
