River Safety Crucial To Preserving Gunung Mulu National Park's Reputation
MULU: The safety standards of river transport within Gunung Mulu National Park must continue to be strengthened and maintained to ensure its reputation as a world-class tourism destination remains intact.
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring), who is also the Mulu Assemblyman, Datuk Gerawat Gala, said that a high level of safety is paramount given that Mulu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that receives thousands of visitors from within the country and abroad each year.
He said river transport serves as one of the primary modes of connectivity in the area and must be maintained at the highest safety standards to ensure smooth operations and user confidence.
"Mulu is among the most renowned tourist destinations in Sarawak and the world. Its reputation depends on our ability to ensure that tourists and local residents can travel safely and with confidence.
"They use various facilities, including river transport, to move from one location to another, and therefore a high level of safety must always be upheld," he said.
He made these remarks when speaking at the Kampung Kuala Melinau River Safety and Cleanliness Awareness Programme here on Friday.
The programme was officially launched by the Sarawak Minister of Transport, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.
Datuk Gerawat also said that water transport safety not only protects the lives of users, but also enhances visitors' confidence in the transport system and services available in the area.
He further commended the efforts of the Sarawak Ministry of Transport (MOTS) and the Sarawak Rivers Board (LSSS) for continuing to play an important role in improving water transport safety standards across the state.
He said the implementation of safety briefings and life jacket usage demonstrations for pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Batu Bungan and the local community is an initiative that deserves to be continued.
At the same time, he urged the local community to continue preserving the cleanliness of the rivers and to refrain from using them as dumping grounds.
He noted that such practices not only pose risks to public health and threaten aquatic life, but could also damage the natural beauty that serves as the primary draw for tourists visiting Mulu. -UKASnews
