KUCHING: A new Department, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Sarawak, will be established soon, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg said yesterday.
The Sarawak government, he explained, was prioritising the conservation of its protected areas and wildlife and the formation of the department would allow the state to meet the challenges of managing its protected areas and wildlife more effectively and efficiently.
“Out of the 4.6 million tourist arrivals recorded in Sarawak in 2016, about 12.4% of them visited the national parks and nature reserves and generated a direct revenue of about RM5.7 million,” the Chief Minister said in his speech at the Regional Forum “Innovation, Inc lus i v ene s s And Impact : Strengthening And Diversifying Financing For Protected Areas” held at Hilton Hotel here yesterday.
