RM9 Million for Reskill-Upskill Programmes for Ecotourism Training
Kinta Valley Geopark to be Reassessed This Year
RM9 Million for Reskill-Upskill Programmes for Ecotourism Training
The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA) has been given an allocation of RM9 million to execute reskill-upskill programmes for eco-tourism training.
According to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, the programme is targeted at local and Orang Asli community groups that are residing at natural resource ecotourism locations under KeTSA’s management, which include geoparks and geosites.
“The reskill-upskill programme is projected to improve the marketability of workers and also job matching of local communities and the Orang Asli in the natural resource ecotourism sector.
“The programme is slated to commence during the first quarter of this year,” he told reporters during a work visit to the Gunung Lang geosite today (February 22).
Also present were Secretary-General of KeTSA, Datuk Zurinah Pawanteh; Executive Councillor for Housing, Local Government and Tourism, Dato’ Nolee Ashilin Mohamed Radzi; the Mayor of Ipoh, Dato’ Rumaizi Baharin; and the Director-General of the Malaysia Mineral and Geoscience Department (JMG), Hisamuddin Termidi.
Kinta Valley Geopark to be Reassessed This Year
Meanwhile, Shamsul Anuar mentioned that Kinta Valley Geopark will be undergoing a reassessment procedure.
“The last assessment was done in 2017. A national-level geopark like here requires reassessment every four years.
“The reassessment is to ensure that Kinta Valley maintains criterias to pass as a national geopark, such as conservation of sustainable development elements and the ability to provide benefits to the local community, particularly towards economic generation,” he explained.
Shamsul Anuar added that adherence to criterias set by the National Geopark Committee is crucial in the state government’s efforts to improve tourism potential and to ensure continual infrastructure plans for Kinta Valley Geopark.
“Thus, KeTSA through JMG of Perak will keep on assisting the state government in technical aspects including research to gain more information regarding geosite resources, geopark development and awareness programmes with the local community.
“This is to maintain the relevance of Kinta Valley Geopark as a national geopark in the future,” he expressed.
Chris Teh
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