Ipoh aims to be city with most limestone eco-parks in the country, says Mayor

IPOH: Ipoh aims to become the city with the most limestone eco-parks in the country, says Datuk Rumaizi Baharin.

The Ipoh Mayor said with next year being Visit Perak Year, the city hoped to offer several tourism destinations at the foot of limestone hills.

He said there were already several places in the list including Tasik Cermin, Gunung Lang and Gunung Matsoorat, and now the Ipoh City Council was collaborating with Qing Xin Ling Leisure and Cultural Village.

"Two or three places in Gunung Rapat, also where the cultural village is located, the state government has approved to gazette the land to the council as a lease reserved land for eco-development.

"So we are developing these sites in phases little by little, and hopefully such eco-tourism destinations at the foot of the limestone hills become among the star attractions, which is our target," he said during his visit to the cultural village near here on Friday (Oct 13).

The cultural village was renting the space from the council to run the eco-tourism attraction.

Residents at the nearby Taman Saikat for many years have been having issues with the cultural village that was set up in 2015, which they said have been causing traffic congestion, and safety issues due to the large number of visitors.

On July 23, residents protested against the construction of any tourism and commercial activities at the foot of the limestone hills just behind their houses.

They had raised that with these issues yet to be resolved, a new access road leading to the area, a cafe and eco-park were in the pipeline.

Rumaizi added that the development of the new alternative road would help resolve the issues raised by the residents.

"The new road, which construction works have stopped after the issue was raised by the residents, will not cause congestion at the residential area.

"The road will allow vehicles to by-pass the residential area, and buses could also use that route," he said, adding that more parking spaces would also be created.

He hoped the alternative road construction works would start soon, before the start of the Visit Perak Year next year.

On the safety of having such eco-tourism products by the foot of the hill, Rumaizi said two years once, limestone expert consultants would provide a report that must be certified by the Minerals and Geoscience Department.

"These are among the requirements before such land at the foot of limestone hills is leased out," he added.