KUNAK: The Kunak Tourism Association is keen to work with Sime Darby plantations to open its plantations' attractions for tourism..
Among them are Tasik Impian, a former Japanese tunnel, the oil palm museum that houses some of the oldest oil palm trees and the Sungang hot spring, all of which are currently off-limits to the public.
Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said Sime Darby's enormous land had great potential for tourism.
"While Sime Darby's primary business is in plantations, we believe it will be in the company's best interests to consider exploring opportunities to work with the local community and promote tourism in the area."
Joniston said the Sabah Tourism Board is ready to facilitate collaborations that benefit the people of Kunak and the local economy, as well as the state's tourism sector.
Kunak Tourism Association chairman Mohammad Hatta Arabi said agriculture is the primary sector in Kunak, covering 1,134 sq km, with tourism making up only one per cent of the economy.
He said Kunak is full of surprising treasures, and the association is dedicated to boosting rural tourism, including collaborating with commercial or government-linked companies whose areas have considerable tourism potential.
Currently, Kunak's main attractions are the Madai Cave, Blue Ring Reef and Madai waterfall.
In addition, the Kunak Tourism Association, Kunak District Tourism Action Council and Kunak Forestry Department are also pushing for the upgrading of the Madai Sejadi waterfall and developing community-based tourism in the Madai Cave vicinity.
Present were Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Anil Jit Singh Sandhu and Sabah Tourism Board's product team.