Abg Jo: 11MP is boom time for Sematan

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Abang Johari (second right) stops to try a Bidayuh Salako dish at a stall. On his right is Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina.

SEMATAN: Sematan and its surrounding areas will see an economic boom once the corridor of coastal tourism is developed under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP).

Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the corridor would cover Sempadi, Lundu, Sematan and Telok Melano.

“The State Planing Unit has done the overall study to develop the tourism belt between Sempadi, Lundu, Sematan and Telok Melano.

“This will become the corridor of coastal tourism and the study has been done and completed last month and the ministry has included the plan in the 11th Malaysia Plan so that the infrastructure in the area will be upgraded,” he said at the Sixth Sematan Festival yesterday.

Abang Johari said tourism in the coastal area under the 11MP will also be further enhanced by the development of five national parks in Kuching – Bako, the Kuching Wetlands National Park, Gunung Gading, Tanjong Datu and a new national park in Bau to be developed soon.

“On the top this, the ministry has included in the 11MP, the infrastructure to have a deep port for big cruise ships to berth nearby here, which will bring rich tourists to Sarawak and also to Sematan and the area,” he said.

“Since the area of Sematan is under the helm of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem (as Tanjung Datu assemblyman), he is certain that he wants to see these plans become a reality.”

Other attractions will be hinterland tourism with the hydro dam lakes at Bakun, Batang Ai and Murum, emulating the tourism products of New Zealand.

On tourist arrivals to the state, Abang Johari as of August, there were 3.1 million tourists – 11 per cent more compared to the same period last year.

“Looking at the figure, there is an increasing trend of tourist arrivals in Sarawak and I am confident by the year end the figure will be more than 2013,” he said.