KiTA To Work Closely With Sabah Wildlife Department To Protect Hilir Kinabatangan

KINABATANGAN: The Kinabatangan-Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association (KiTA) will work closely with the Sabah Wildlife Department in conservation efforts at the Hilir Kinabatangan area.

Its president Alexander Yee said the cooperation would enable nature conservation awareness campaign activities among KiTA members and communities to be more effectively carried out to achieve its target and objective.

“The aim of setting up KiTA in 2008 will not be achieved without the cooperation of the related agency to help conserve wildlife and the natural forest in the Hilir Kinabatangan area,” he told Bernama today.

KiTA comprise nine tourism entrepreneurs operating in Kampung Sukau, Bilit and Abai which provides accommodation centres and packages to tour the Kinabatangan River.

He said the latest activity, via the cooperation, was the organising of the Wildlife Honorary Warden Course, involving 34 personnel from tourism companies that are members of KiTA, and the three villages.

He said the course, on Sunday, conducted for the first time between KiTA and the Sabah Wildlife Department, would provide knowledge and skill to help in monitoring and enforcement efforts.

According to Alexander Yee, the organisation of the course was also in preparation by the members of KiTA to abide by the implementation of the Standard Operation Procedure for bird watching which would be implemented by the Sabah Wildlife Department in Hilir Kinabatangan.

Alexander Yee said all tourism entrepreneurs in Hilir Kinabatangan must become members of KiTA, starting next year, before their business licences are approved by the Sabah Wildlife Department and issued by the Kinabatangan District Office.

He said the move would provide a more effective mechanism for the tourism entrepreneurs in ensuring tourism activities downstream of the Kinabatangan River were sustainable and implemented in an environment friendly manner.

Source:  Bernama