KOTA KINABALU: The Tourism, Culture, and Environment Ministry will expand and strengthen the Community Cultural Protocol (CCP) guidelines to rural communities to encourage cultural conservation.
Its Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said this is so that it can be integrated with community-based tourism activities.Aside from that, the Ministry will also continue the cultural mapping project that will involve 11 ethnic groups in four zones in Sabah.
“In total, this mapping project has already covered 18 ethnic groups and the Ministry plans to apply for additional allocations under the Mid-Term Review to continue the study for other ethnic groups,” he said in the Ministry’s winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here.
Under the Integrated Cultural Tourism programme, he said, the Ministry will also increase cultural experience programmes throughout Sabah for tourists visiting the State.As for the environment, he said, Sabah Parks’ efforts of expanding protected areas will be intensified next year aside from efforts to gazette Mantanani Island Park, Kota Belud and Darvel Bay Park, Lahad Datu soon.
“The ministry is also working through the Sabah Parks to re-gazette the former Mamut Mine site area of 5,219 acres or 2,112 hectares into the Kinabalu Park.
“Aside from that, Sabah Parks is also looking into protected areas involving the Long Pasia Highlands, Sipitang and forest areas along the Keningau-Kimanis road reserve, Papar in the Crocker Range Park.
”The Ministry, he said, will always emphasise compliance with the principles of sustainable development in the implementation of social and economic development so that environmental sustainability and the wellbeing of the people are maintained.
“The State is very fortunate to have the State Environmental Policy as well as the State Environmental Policy Action Plan which leads to the implementation of sustainable development principles.
“Next year, my Ministry through the Environmental Protection Department will carry out several research projects including a review of the Sabah coastal management plan.
“This will add value to a comprehensive coastal management,” he said.The ministry, he said, also always cooperates with the private sector in the conservation and preservation of the environment.
“In June, the Environmental Protection Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sime Darby Plantation (Sabah) Sdn Bhd which aims to encourage Sime Darby to implement its own compliance with the Environmental Conditions Agreement as well as deliver an environmental awareness programme from time to time,” he said.
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