TENOM: Visitors will be able to move around the Sabah Agriculture Park (TPS) Lagud Sebrang easily in a 23-seater electric car which was presented by Sabah Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) here on Saturday.
The electric car will serve as a bus to take visitors around the park.
“With this contribution, I believe our visitors will be able to enjoy the beauty and surroundings of the park more comfortably with the quiet engine of the vehicle carrying them around,” said State Agriculture Department director Datuk Haji MC Ismail Salam when launching the Bah… Ke Taman Kita program at the park.
It will also lift the image of TPS as an eco-friendly park with first class facilities, he said.
The contribution made last year was officially handed over by Sedco deputy general manager Jani Isa to Ismail during the program.
Ismail said a total of 24,482 visitors came to the park last year and if each visitor spent an average of RM50, last year’s income for TPS would be about RM1.2 million.
He said the budget’s revenue last year was much lower than the estimated total revenue from the state tourism sector in 2012, which was estimated at RM5.17 billion for 2.9 million tourist arrivals to the state.
“Basically, the focus or objective of the State Agriculture Department is for TPS to be a centre for plant conservation, learning and as a tourist attraction based on agrotourism.
“As a centre for plant conservation, the department is very proud of the effort and commitment shown by all the staff of TPS though agricultural activities associated with opening and cutting of various types of trees. We should be proud that we never forget the importance of conservation of plants so that they can continue to be seen and appreciated by generations to come, as implemented by the department through the park.
“Although TPS is a relatively small entity in the State Agriculture Department, the park has shown remarkable achievement. TPS has received recognition not only at state and national levels for the beauty of its landscape, but at a global level as well for its conservation efforts,” he said.
He added TPS is the only park in the world that has so far succeeded in planting Rafflesia. To be able to cultivate the flower is certainly the dream of every park in the world for tourist attractions and the public to learn about the natural world.
“I hope TPS will have multiple locations to fully utilize the landscape for the purpose of learning, especially for students.
“A wide variety of tropical fruits can be found in the park museum, which exhibits more than 100 kinds of rare and exotic fruits, such as African Breadfruit, Burahol, Mabolo, Pachira, Pogoh and Jaboticaba.
“Various types of crops, herbs, salads and fragrances are also available at TPS. The park also has expertise that can be shared with those who are interested in plant propagation and planting techniques,” he said.
Ismail added for learning activities geared towards agriculture, TPS has agricultural farms where visitors, especially students, can gain experience through hands-on activities in the fields of agriculture such as planting and harvesting corn, peppers, pumpkin, papaya and so on.
Though this activity seems easy, he believed this experience will bring students closer to agricultural activities and it may prove useful to them in the future.
In terms of learning about the honey bee farming, he said through the Agriculture Research Station, Lagud Sebrang, the Agriculture Department is willing to share experience and knowledge with those who are interested in the various aspects of honey bee breeding.
In short, he said there are a lot of knowledge and information available that can be shared with visitors who come to the park.
“The department will continue to strive to ensure that TPS continues to perform its functions and that various plans are implemented, including improvements to existing infrastructure and construction of new infrastructure for the convenience of visitors.
“This year, a bridge connecting the multi-purpose hall and TPS restaurant was built in Rundum Lake that will not only help visitors move around the lake, but would also be an attractive landscaping and focal point for visitors to keep the memory of their visit to the park.
“For next year, the department has approved an allocation of RM1 million to implement a number of other developments in TPS such as to upgrade the livestock farm, open an agriculture farm, upgrade signboards and plant labels, upgrade the arrival hall and office, installation of fences and gates around the park and to build a laboratory at the water plant,” he said.