Using Orang Asli settlements to promote tourism
Johor will focus on promoting Orang Asli settlements here to boost the eco-tourism industry.
Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said the way of life of the Orang Asli could become a tourist attraction.
"Orang Asli culture can be very interesting for tourists to explore," Tee said during a recent trip to the Endau-Rompin National Park.
"The trees in the park which are over 100 years old are an attraction for nature lovers.
"Apart from promoting the Legoland theme park and Johor Premium Outlets, the Orang Asli settlements can also become a product that will capture the interest of local and foreign tourists.
"Everyone, including the media, can play a role in promoting the culture-based tourism industry in Johor," he said at Kampung Peta.
Tee thanked the members of the Johor Media Club (JMJ) who had initiated the tour.
He said the activities planned by the media with the Orang Asli community of Kampung Peta had received positive feedback from everyone involved.
He also thanked the medical practitioners of Regency Johor Specialist Hospital (RJSH) which supported the event by providing medical checkups, medication and treatment to the villagers.
Kampung Peta committee member Awang Kudi, 52, said the villagers appreciated the support given by JMJ and RJSH.
"We are grateful to the visitors for coming all the way here to give us free medical checkups.
"Most of the villagers work as rubber tappers and tour guides for tourists who come to the Endau Rompin National park," he said.
Participants from JMJ and RJSH also went on a jungle trek to the Kuala Jasin, Upeh Guling and Kuala Marong area.
Datuk Tee Siew Keong and Johor Media Club president Mohamad Fauzi Ishak (in blue) distributing groceries from Econsave to the Kampung Peta villagers.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Back-to-basics island getaway
MINIMALIST: Tourists are drawn to Pulau Besar’s unspoilt beach, pristine waters, and simple way of life
CITY folk who want to enjoy the tranquility an island can offer will find Mersing a glittering gem.
The drive to Mersing from Johor Baru takes about two hours.
At
Mersing, one will see a row of shops along Jalan Abdullah in the
Mersing Kanan area. The shops sell food products made by the locals,
such as Abdullah Ishak, 24, who works at Perusahaan Keropok Haji Puteh,
owned by his family.
"I started working after I finished my secondary education. I have always aspired to be a businessman.
"The
price for keropok lekor varies according to the market price of fish
such as sardines, wolf herring, and sea bream which are used to process
the fish snack," he said.
State
Tourism, Domestic Trade, and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee
Siew Kiong said Mersing town has the potential for a shopping
destination.
"Tourists
can drop by for a shopping excursion before taking the ferry to the
islands. I hope the locals will take the opportunity to offer more
quality products to tourists," he said during a two-day working visit to
Mersing and Pulau Besar recently.
Pulau
Besar is accessible from the Mersing jetty, and the jetty is a
20-minute walk from Mersing Kanan or five-minute ride on a motor
vehicle.
The journey to Pulau Besar takes about 30 minutes by speedboat and an hour by ferry.
The island has about 40 residents, most of them are pensioners.
There
are three resorts on the island -- Aseania Beach Resort Pulau Besar, D'
Coconut Island Resort and Mirage Island Resort Pulau Besar.
The island was also featured in a Swedish reality television series Expedition Robinson.
Visitors
will be mesmerised by the clean beach and pristine water surrounding
the island, making it an ideal getaway for those who enjoy basking in
the sun.
Standing on the jetty, one can delight in the sight of fishes swimming in the sea.
The 165.4m jetty was upgraded recently with an allocation from the Federal Government under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
Motor vehicles are prohibited on the island.
The island has a dimly lighted walkway which is romantic at night.
There are fruit bats hanging on the coconut trees on the island.
When the weather is fine, star-gazers can look up and find a sea of twinkling stars dotting the night sky,
Other recreation activities include jogging, beach volley ball, jungle trekking, snorkeling, kayaking and cycling.
The island also has a large hammock, wooden swings and buoy swings for children.
Rastam Osman, 91, rejoiced when the old jetty was upgraded.
"It used to be a wooden jetty that needed to be repaired frequently.
"Boats
can now dock at the jetty, even during low tide, making it convenient
to load and unload goods onto and from the boats," he said.
Another
islander, Norhaida Amir, 19, who lives here with her husband Mohd Nor
Ramli, 22, said the upcoming Sultan Iskandar Marine Park information
centre on the island, a project under the East Coast Economic Region,
will provide job opportunities for youths.
Holidaymakers Oliver Boehm, 46, and his wife Agnes, 42, said they were drawn to the peace and beauty of the island.
Another tourist, Kirsten Elen, 26, from Belgium, vacationing in one of the resorts, said she felt rejuvenated.
"Although
there is Internet service, there is no television in the resort so
visitors spend most of their time outdoors," Kirsten said.
Crystal clear waters surround the island.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
改善5岛屿基本设施 丰盛港获2千万建设金
郑修强（左七） 一行人参观《expendition robinson》的拍摄场景。
柔佛旅游、商贸、消费事务委员会主席拿督郑修强透露，东海岸经济特区（ECER）批准2000万令吉予丰盛港县的5个岛屿，作为基础建设用途。
推动丰盛港旅游业他说，柔佛州除了有依斯干达经济发展特区之外，丰盛港县也被纳入东海岸经济发展特区内，此特区重点发展12个领域，其中包括旅游领域，这对发展丰盛港旅游业无疑是强而有力的推动力。
“在政府良好及完善的规划及旅游产品的协助下，柔佛州旅游领域将越具竞争力和发展条件。”
2000万令吉的款项主要为5个岛建设及改善基本设施，如电灯、行人道及医药设备等。
投入400万建水族馆
其中，1000万令吉的款项将投入大岛（Pulau Besar），其中400万令吉的款项将用作建造一座水族馆。
他是在访问丰盛港的岛之后发表以上谈话，到访之处包括拉瓦岛（Pulau Rawa）和诗布岛（Pulau Sibu）。陪同访问者有丰盛港县长莫哈默纳西尔、马来西亚游社同业协会柔州分会主席李慧贞、马来西亚中小型旅店公会柔佛州旅分会主席李延富、飞萤航空有限公司柔州经理凯鲁和柔佛媒体协会主席福奥吉等。
沙滩婚礼成新趋势 郑修强吁业者加强宣传
郑修强说，沙滩婚礼已形成新趋势，业者可看准市场，加强宣传，吸引国内外结婚团到柔佛的海岛举办婚礼。
他表示，他在上个月到印度的访问得知，印度市场对海岛和沙滩景点需求量高，近年来印度也兴起外国婚礼团，他们邀请亲朋戚友一同出国举办婚礼，而海岛是他们的第一选择。
“中国游客对海岛也特别钟情，是休闲度假，放松心情的最佳选择。除了外国人，本地人也能接受这类型的婚庆方式。我认为，若业者在推广旅游或促销时能注入新的元素，旅游业必定等蓬勃发展，让更多人认识柔佛。”
马来西亚旅游社同业协会柔州分会主席李慧贞表示，柔佛海岛旅游有很大的潜能也有好的进步空间，柔佛的岛屿非常漂亮，生态环境保留得非常完整，海水干净，是吸引游客的优势。
一些业者误解刁曼岛属于柔佛，其实不然，刁曼岛其属于彭亨州，协会将致力于推广柔佛的海岛，协助促进柔佛生态旅游的发展。
至于丰盛港沿岸景点如亚逸巴班（Air Papan）也非常漂亮，唯需要加强处理垃圾方面的问题。
马来西亚中小型旅店公会柔佛州分会主席李延富说，希望海岛旅游的发展能提高中小旅店的住客率。
～以上新闻转载自南洋商报～
丰盛港森利河流钓鱼迷路 青年失联15小时寻获
警方成立一个包括警员、军士、森林局、警卫团成员及公众人士的搜寻拯救队伍到场展开搜寻行动， 并成功救出失踪者。
四名热爱钓鱼的好朋友，结伴到丰盛港森林河流钓鱼，其中一人因寻找事前置放的鱼杆而迷路，由于对当地森林环境及路况不熟悉，失联了15小时后，才被搜寻队寻获，并安全带离森林。
这名因进入森林钓鱼而迷路的钓客是来自古来的30岁华裔青年蔡志财（译音），他是于前日（6日）与另3位华裔朋友结伴到丰盛港乌鲁双溪冷莪附近森林（即靠近居銮森波浪森林保护区）钓鱼。
据丰盛港县警区主任祖基菲里哈欣副警监披露，事发当天警方接获失踪者友人报案后，随即成立一个由任罗宏警察局副局长祖希山为首的搜寻拯救队伍，成员包括军士长阿布沙马拉欣，森林局及警卫团成员、警员及公众人士共34人。
祖基菲里说，搜寻队伍从当晚9时开始在失联地点附近森林搜索，直到天亮后都没有发现，而到了次日上午9时恢复搜寻，失踪者仍然下落不明，不过，他说，搜寻队伍依然没有放弃寻找，一直到了下午3时20分才被其中一名搜寻队员发现，而当时这名迷路者已显露出疲惫状态。
寻找钓竿迷失方向
迷路失踪的钓友安全回到救援中心时向警方说，他和他的三个朋友于前日上午10时，从古来驾车到上述河流钓鱼，抵达停歇处后，他领先于其他伙伴，独自一人前往事先在该河流置放的钓竿而迷失方向，整个下午都无法找到出路，也无法联络到友人。
他说，“天越来越黑的时侯，我开始感到害怕、恐惧，怕会受到野兽攻击，包括老虎，如今我就像是死了，又活过来的庆幸”。
蔡志财也感谢警方及全体搜救人员及参与搜寻的民众及朋友们协助搜寻，他才能安全走出森林。
～以上新闻转载自南洋商报～
Big plans in pipeline for Pulau Besar
The authorities are upgrading a stretch of road and building an information centre on the tiny island
A
FOUR-kilometre stretch of road in Pulau Besar will soon be upgraded,
together with the construction of Sultan Iskandar Marine Park
information centre, by the middle of the year.
The two projects, costing RM10 million, are under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).
During
a working visit to the island recently, State Tourism, Domestic Trade
and Consumerism Committee chairmain Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said the road
upgrade, which will cost RM6 million, will include repairs to a
pedestrian bridge and the installation of street lights.
He said the RM4 million information centre will be built next to the main jetty on the island.
Meanwhile,
Mersing district officer Mohd Nasir Abd Salam said the projects will be
managed by the Mersing District Council and monitored by a consultant
appointed by the state government and ECER.
Nasir said the road will be widened by 1.3m to 2.6m.
"Decorative street lights will replace the old lamp posts as the island is a tourist attraction," he said.
Nasir
said the information centre will have a police post, clinic, and
meeting room for government agencies. "A big aquarium will also be built
as another attraction on the island," he said.
He
said the island had a population of about 40 villagers and most of them
are pensioners. It is about 30 minutes away from the Mersing jetty by
speedboat and takes about an hour by ferry.
Wider roads with decorative street lights are part of the RM6 million facelift for Pulau Besar
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
