IPOH: Checks will be conducted at the limestone hill near Qing Xin Ling Leisure and Cultural Village where a tourist was killed after a rock fell on his head here.
Perak tourism committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said the checks would be conducted by experts from the Land and Mines Office and Mineral and Geoscience Department to find out what caused the incident at the popular tourist spot.
"We have proposed to the state government to close down the tourist spot first.
"We want to find out from the experts on whether this is a 'once in a blue moon' incident or something bigger," he said in a press conference during a visit to Qing Xin Ling Leisure and Cultural Village on Tuesday (April 9).
"We want the experts to check and see what their recommendations are for mitigation works," he said, adding that police investigation on the incident is also ongoing.
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He also said that the state's limestone foothills and caves committee are currently looking at all developments, including temples and tourist spots, near limestone hills.
"We are conducting a study at these locations to look at their development or whether some of these are over-developed.
"We need to come up with a policy that ensures the safety of the people, be it tourists, farmers or temples," he said, adding that there had been a lot of eco-tourism activities near limestone hills in the last five to 10 years.
Loh said the safety of the people, including tourists who visit the state, was always the state's priority.
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"We want to ensure tourists who visit Perak are safe as best as we can.
"It is unfortunate that the incident occurred and we are serious on this matter," he said.
He also clarified that there was a misunderstanding on the identity of the victim, who was reported to be a tour guide.
"The victim is a tourist himself, who had brought his friends to visit the place.
"Somehow, somewhere it got lost in translation," he said, adding that the victim was a local from Pangkor.
"Our condolences to the victim's family and we will try to assist in any way we can," he added.
Loh said Ipoh was famous for the limestone enclave and there were bound to be risks like any other location.
"Limestone hills are nice to look at and be in.
"But the limestone itself is more hazardous than other stones or granites," he said.
"In ecotourism areas like the jungle, lake or at sea, there are bound to be some sort of risks involved," he added.
