Since Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over the federal government, funding from the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture for supporting events in Sarawak has been dwindling from RM2.2 million in 2015 to only RM150,000 last year.
Tourism, Art, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah said it was disheartening to see PH’s action towards Sarawak.
“I also hope the PH government will seriously reconsider its move on the cancelled tourism development projects which they have approved previously,” he said in his winding-up speech.
Karim said there were four approved tourism development projects amounting to RM29.7 million which had been cancelled.
“The projects include Belaga Waterfront, Kampung Panchor Hotspring, Baram Waterfront and upgrading of tourism facilities at Gunung Serumbu, Bau,” he said.
The minister revealed that most of these projects were in advanced stages of tender preparation.
“Following that, the state government has taken its initiative to take up one of the projects (Waterfront Sungai Baram, Marudi) for RM23 million at its own cost,” he said.
He said recognising the significant contributions of the tourism sector to the economy of the state through the service sector, the government through the Socio-Economic Transformation Programme had approved 15 Key Result Areas (KRAs) projects and programmes worth RM52.1 million.
“Some of the currently on-going physical projects are upgrading of tourism infrastructure and facilities at Wind Cave and Fairy Cave in Bau, Kuching Waterfront areas, upgrading work to the jetty near Santubong Bridge and the construction of the walkway in front of the new DUN building to connect the pedestrian bridge with Fort Margherita.
“In developing tourism products, related studies that are currently being conducted also include the transformation of the Brooke Dockyard into a Maritime Museum, conversion of the Old DUN building into a Performing Arts Centre, construction of a Gold Mine Museum and Park in Bau and the renovation of the Old Miri Resident Office into a Cultural and Heritage Centre. “
He pointed that all studies were expected to be completed by end of this year.
