By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, Feb 8: A new bill will be tabled at the next State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting to improve the management of museums, national heritage sites and national parks in Sarawak.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this was to ensure the standard of tourist attractions, including their management, would meet the expectations of visitors and tourists.
It would also come up with rules and regulations to access these attractions, especially national parks and hiking sites, to ensure they are more regulated and stricter. This follows frequent reports of visitors and tourists getting lost while hiking.
Abdul Karim was commenting on the case of four Chinese tourists who got lost while hiking at Bako National Park on Feb 4. They were found later that evening by the search and rescue (SAR) team unscathed.
“So, my advice, especially to those from outside Sarawak who are not very familiar with the place they are going to visit, whether it be Santubong mountain, Bako National Park, Kubah National Park or those places we have heard many times people got lost in, to get proper guides.”
He added that the case of the four Chinese tourists who got lost was very unfortunate for two reasons. Firstly, they did they not have a guide with them, and secondly, only two of them registered themselves with the park management before their hike.
“It was fortunate that all of them were found safe. Otherwise, if there were mishaps, it would not be good.” — DayakDaily
