KOTA KINABALU: The Beluran district on Sabah’s east coast continues to lag behind other districts in tourism, even though it has all the attractions in terms of flora and fauna as well as culture, said a former culture, youth and sports assistant minister for Sabah.
Datuk Tan Yong Gee said this was because there was a lack of tourism projects or programmes that could boost the sector there.
Tan contended that there have been very little funds channelled to Beluran, about 200km from the state capital, adding focus had been given to other districts.
“The (state) government needs to ensure that Beluran is given equal attention when it comes to tourism development,” he said.
Tan, a former assemblyman for Labuk, which is within the Beluran parliamentary constituency, also urged state tourism authorities to put in more effort to promote potential tourist destinations in the district.
He said Beluran possessed rich forest reserves, diverse wildlife and a unique cultural heritage.
“But tourists seem to flock to neighbouring Kinabatangan and Sandakan to visit the forests and discover the wildlife there.
“Beluran has the exact same potential but no one comes to visit,” he added.
He noted that the proboscis monkeys, with its distinctive nose, were among the array of wildlife that could be seen along the Pimpin River.
And at night, Tan said, the banks of the river which is a mangrove forest reserve, would be lit up with fireflies.
