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KUCHING: The Sarawak government has targeted to obtain Unesco recognition for the Sarawak Delta Geopark (SDGp) by 2023, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg (pix), today.
He said the SDGp area, which covers an area of 311,246 hectares, had received the National Geopark recognition in 2019 making it a national level geopark after Gunung Jerai in Kedah, Lembah Kinta in Perak and Kinabalu in Sabah.
‘’SDGp, which encompasses land and water areas, represents a union of special geological, biological and cultural heritages found in the Kuching, Bau, Padawan, Samarahan and also Siburan districts,” he said at the launch of SDGp at Dewan Lagenda, Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, near here.
He said geoparks are areas which have geological heritage sites which can be used by all quarters for purposes of conservation, education and sustainable development.
He said the selection of the Sarawak Delta as a geopark was indeed highly appropriate because the area meets the criteria of a geopark whereby it had geological and geo-cultural heritages.
Abang Johari said the only Unesco Geopark Global site which is recognised in Malaysia is located in Langkawi which stationed it on par with 160 other areas which had received the recognition worldwide.
Meanwhile, he also revealed a Santubong area development plan to be included in the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12) which would cover road repairs and upgrade of the hotel industry including services in every existing ecotourism areas.
‘’Under RMK12, we want to add a dual carriageway from the Sarawak Foundation roundabout until Damai. We will also boost hotel facilities further in keeping with the demands of international tourists,’’ he added. — Bernama
