Lok Kawi Wildlife Park needs to relocate: Masidi

KOTA KINABALU: Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near here needs to be relocated due to the limited space to care for its wild residents, said Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun today.
He said the state government was mulling over a new site in Sugud, Penampang but further consideration was needed as the village folks in Sugud were unwilling to forgo their forest, which is also a source of firewood.
"I believe that Sugud would be most ideal. It is the nearest (to Lok Kawi).
"(But) in my personal view, I would like to plan beyond my lifetime, for the benefit of future generations. So planning should start now," he told reporters after an Aidilfitri gathering here.
Masidi stressed that the park should not be seen as a zoo as most of the animals there were seized from private owners and needed to be familiar with the natural surroundings, instead of being caged like in zoos.
He hopes the community would consider the good work of the staff of Sabah Wildlife Department who were working in a limited environment, caring for the animals at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.
"They could have easily closed the park and let the wildlife return to the jungle but did not since most of the animals require medical attention to nurse them back to health," he added.
On another development, Masidi said Permanent Secretary to his ministry Datu Rosmadi Sulai would chair a committee meeting to seek improvement to the state's tour guide system.
This followed a July 14 incident involving members of two tour guide associations who attempted to confront a foreign tour guide receiving a tour group at Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
"This committee will look into the overall aspect of the tourism industry and the role of tour agents so that we can come up with a better mechanism for the benefit of everyone," he said.
The incident involved the Sabah Tourist Guide Association (STGA) and the Bumiputera Tourist Guide Association (BTGA) which claimed that a Chinese tour guide hired by a tour company was operating illegally.
The Sabah office of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture carried out an investigation into the allegation and found that the alleged tour company was operating legally and according to the Tourism Industry Act 1992. — Bernama