By Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: The Perak State Government has assured that tourist safety remains a top priority in the development of geopark tourism products, particularly those involving limestone cave areas that are environmentally sensitive and pose geological risks.
Perak Executive Councillor for Industry, Investment, Tourism and Corridor Development, Loh Sze Yee, said several geopark locations have been temporarily closed following expert assessments which identified potential risks if preventive measures are not taken early.
“Many tourists come to Perak because of the natural beauty that we have.
“Therefore, the state government takes safety issues seriously, especially in limestone cave areas and geoparks that have sensitive natural structures,” he said during a media conference at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here today.
According to Loh, the temporary closures are intended to allow upgrading and improvement works to be carried out to ensure the areas are safe before being reopened to the public.
At the same time, he commended tourism industry players who have taken proactive steps by voluntarily suspending operations in the interest of visitor safety.
“For example, Kek Lok Tong Cave in Ipoh has been temporarily closed to carry out safety works.
“The state government expresses its appreciation to operators who place visitor safety as their main priority,” he said.
Commenting on the development of new destinations, Loh said the state government is currently focusing on Lenggong, which is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as one of Perak’s key geopark tourism products.
He said that in addition to physical development, the state government is also emphasising management aspects and the preparedness of local communities in welcoming visitors.
“Lenggong has extraordinary features, including remnants of volcanic ash and a unique meteor impact phenomenon where it formed hills instead of craters, which is uncommon compared to what is usually seen elsewhere,” he said.
However, Loh stressed that tourism development must be carried out prudently to ensure that natural treasures and historical heritage are preserved for future generations.
“We do not want development to be excessive to the point of damaging these valuable remnants. Development must be balanced and based on sustainability,” he said.
Apart from Lenggong, Loh said several other areas such as Taiping are also showing positive growth as eco-tourism and adventure tourism destinations, including through the hosting of international-standard trail running events as well as the expansion of glamping, recreational and nature-based tourism activities.
Meanwhile, touching on the issue of additional flights at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, he said the state government has received various enquiries and expressions of interest from charter flight operators and tourism organisers.
However, he noted that there is still no final agreement to materialise new flights into the state at this stage.
“We do not want to make premature announcements without any concrete outcomes, as that would be unfair to the people. Only when everything has been finalised and delivers clear benefits will an official announcement be made,” he said.
