MIRI: Rural transporters play important role in promoting tourism, said Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau.
Speaking at the Telang Usan Four-Wheel Drive Owners’ Association annual general meeting (AGM) on Friday, Dennis described rural transporters as tourism ambassadors.
“You bring tourists to the interior, bring them to places of interest, introduce them to our culture and tradition, get them to know our flora and fauna, and then you bring them back to the cities safe and sound. In the interior, you are the lifeline of tourism,” Dennis said.
The Telang Usan Four-Wheel Drive Owners’ Association was formed three years ago with 100 members, the majority of whom work full-time as transporters.
Dennis called on the transporters to not overcharge or undercut one another but to keep to standard charges, which would go a long way in winning tourists over.
He said that he would propose to the local authorities to provide parking bays in Miri City for rural transporters, including those from Long Lama.
“In this way, tourists and locals alike will have a specific area to head to when they need the services of the transporters,” he said.
At the event, he announced a RM10,000 allocation from Tourism, Arts and Culture Assistant Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting who was unable to come due to prior engagement.
