Nogeh hitting the gong to symbolically launch Bung Orad festival, while FAMA director Paza Dan, Bau District Officer Anielia Siam and other VIPs looked on.

 

BAU: The availability of tourism attractions and the close proximity to Kuching give Bau the extra advantages to develop agro-based tourism.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Anthony Nogeh Gumbek stressed that Bau’s natural environment and cultural heritage will make the district a high-quality tourism attraction.

“We are very near to Kuching, and we have Bung Jagoi, Bung Bratak, Bung Orad, Serikin, Fairy Cave, Wind Cave and many other beautiful places to offer,” he said, when launching Bung Orad Recreation Centre here today.

Nogeh praised the local community for working closely with local agencies, especially Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (FAMA) officers that have been camping in the village for a week to help the local villagers with the programme launching ceremony.

“I am very happy to hear your plan to plant Musang King durians, local fruits, build mountain bike trails, upgrade the existing facilities here and I will give you RM200,000 to make Bung Orad a place worthy for visit, for public recreation and for tourists to get closer look at our local fruits,” he said.

Bung Orad was actually the old settlement for Bau people before they opened up Kampung Grogo, Kampung Sibuluh, Kampung Opar, Kampung Rumih, Kampung Nowang and Kampung Bowang.

Nogeh stressed that tourism activities in Bau would ideally go hand-in-hand with the agricultural industry.
“We are now venturing into fruits for export market like the Musang King durians and MD2 Pineapple. The seedlings of durians are quite expensive while our very own pineapple plantation in Kampung Padang Pan, Serikin once successful will be able to help in supplying high quality MD2 seedlings,” he said.

Nogeh is also happy to note that more people are venturing into homestay industry as well as offering food and beverages services to further boost the local tourism activities.

With a growing number of people coming to Bau, the local populace, especially the farmers, are set to benefit directly from the increased sales of their agricultural produce at local hawker centres that are being opened up by FAMA at various locations in Bau, he noted.

He urged the locals to work closely with his ministry’s agencies and to give full support to all programmes introduced by their elected representatives in the area.

Also present at the function were ADUN Tasik Biru Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, ADUN Serembu Miro Simuh and FAMA director Paza Dan.