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Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the site is located near Kuala Lawas, about 20 minutes from the town.
“The existing airstrip is very limited. We cannot extend the present airport anymore because there is a river surrounding it and sometimes, it is badly eroded and subject to flooding,” he told BAT IV at his Hari Raya open house here yesterday.
Awang Tengah, who is also Public Utilities Minister, said the new site is strategic to cater for the people not only from Lawas, but other areas like Sabah.
“The (passenger) catchment is quite good besides catering for passengers from Lawas, it can also cater for those on the Indonesian side and Sabah.”
He said the proposal for the new airport had been forwarded to the federal government for consideration to be implemented under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP).
“I hope this new airport will be given priority under 11MP.
The state has written to the federal government to request for this project to be treated as priority so I hope it can be considered.”
Awang Tengah, who is also Industrial Development Minister and Bukit Sari assemblyman, said he would be happy if the federal government approved the new airport that could cater for ATR planes.
He also stressed on the need for the government to help promote the various eco-tourism spots in Lawas.
“We have beaches, waterfalls and quite a number of attractions because the culture and food of the people here are quite different compared to other parts of the state.”
Meanwhile, Lawas district officer Hussaini Hakim said Lawas has various tourism products that can be offered to visitors such as Merarap Hotspring and the ‘tagang system’ in Long Lidong.
“We also have large mangrove areas such as in Awat-Awat, Kpg Petarikan and even somewhere around Punang area which are accessible by road.
“I have spoken to the Forest Department, asking them to conduct study on these areas and maybe develop them to be some kind of recreational areas, maybe build plank walks for visitors inside the mangrove area.”
Another product that should be promoted, according to him, is Paya Maga or Payeh Maga (in Lun Bawang language).
“This area is some kind of forest area that is like a national park but it’s not yet gazetted as national park. Few researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Universiti Sains Malaysia have visited this area.
“I think it’s good that we have this kind of area that we hope maybe one day, Lawas area, like Bintulu and Miri, can have this kind of national park.”
Besides that, Hussaini said another product that can be promoted is ‘tahai’, which is a popular local delicacy made from fish locally known as ‘ikan tamban’.
“The locals here will grill the fish until the skin turns black. They call it ‘ikan tahai’ and it is very popular here.
The place where they can get this product is at Punang and Awat-Awat.”
July 30, 2014, Wednesday
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