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Our Solidarity and Commitment to Responsible Actions for Sustainable Development
Experiment Tour
Green & Gold Tourism in Padawan
On the 18th of December 2023, the REBORN team orchestrated an exploration of green and gold tourism in Padawan, graced by the presence of Deputy Minister for Tourism Sarawak, Datuk Sebastian, and Deputy State Secretary Datu Hii Chang Kee, alongside local councillors of Padawan. This experimental tour was centered on engaging with community leaders and members, actively listening to their perspectives, learning from their experiences, and collaboratively discussing strategies for collective action.
The initial stop was at De’Remin Sapit, where the team was graciously hosted by Mr. Amir, the owner. De’Remin Sapit, managed locally, curates a village staycation experience that purposefully integrates indigenous culture and the surrounding natural landscape. Despite the absence of an electric supply due to the lack of nearby utility infrastructure, leading to reliance on generators, this destination has successfully attracted visitors from various locations seeking to immerse themselves in its unique offerings.
Subsequently, the team proceeded to the Bidayuh Annah Rais Longhouse, where they were warmly welcomed by the local community through performances of Bidayuh’s traditional dances and delectable ethnic cuisine. Mr. Mark, the owner of Kellon homestay, introduced the activity of bamboo rafting, a must-try experience during a visit to the Bidayuh Annah Rais longhouse. The minister and permanent secretariat were invited to partake in the bamboo rafting experience. Finally, the team concluded their visit at Semadang Adventure, where they were hosted by the Semadang Adventure team, engaging in a river excursion and a high tea networking session.
Dr. Hiram, the director of Responsible Borneo (REBORN), emphasized that tourism fundamentally revolves around fostering connections. Padawan, with its offerings of nature and culture, serves as a testament to the depth of its people's heritage. This Green & Gold experimental trip in Padawan provided yet another remarkable opportunity to experience adventure, culture, nature, and cuisine all within one enthralling journey.
Gallery
Experimental Tour 1
MTAC Sarawak in Awe of Tourism Potentials in Bau
NICHOLAS TIONG and FAREINY MORNI
5th August 2021
On 31st July 2021, Sarawak Research Society (SRS) and the community leaders of Bau district invited the officials of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MTAC) Sarawak to visit Bau’s historical landmarks, famous attractions and some lesser known sites. The purpose of the visit is to explore the possibility of increasing the promotion for Bau and discuss issues that may debilitate the interest of local and international tourists from choosing Bau as their preferred tourist destination.
Taiton Lorong 9 overlooking the rolling hills of Sleeping Beauty
Participants for this trip include Permanent Secretary of MTAC Sarawak Mr Hii Chang Kee, Principal Assistant Secretary Dr Suzy Lim Swee Yian, Principal Assistant Secretary Mr Nasir Bin Lariwoo, Administrative Assistant of Assistant Minister of MTAC Sarawak Mr Byron Chang Tun Leung, Chairman of Hwa Gong Bau Historical Society Pemanca Bong Jong Long, Treasurer Mr Lucas Lim Tee Kiat, Mao San Kapitan Chung Man Fook, Taiton Kapitan Phang Nyat Kiaw, Chairman of SRS Assoc. Prof. Dr Hiram Ting, and his research members.
The one-day event began at 9 a.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m. and is the first ever Experimental Tour, an initiative under Responsible Borneo (REBORN). Among the destinations visited are the historical monument known as the 12 Company Flag Pole in Maw San (or Bau Lama), the King’s Temple, rolling hills of Sleeping Beauty, Little Guilin, Double V Hole, Golden Stone Hole, Little Stone Forest, Tua Pek Kong Temple, Golden Hill, Tasik Biru and Life Liberation Area of Siniawan Swee Guk Kung Chi Yuan Ting.
Bau district has a great potential to become a tourist attraction. Most of these attractions are conveniently located nearby Taiton, an area that is famous for gold mines and has been gazetted as one of Sarawak’s national parks.
There have been efforts to promote Bau district through various media and activities to improve the number of visitors; however, majority of the visitors’ interest waned when they find the basic facilities at some of the destinations to be lacking. Besides that, there is evidence of neglect, some of the trails and routes lack maintenance and are overgrown with weeds causing some of the destinations to appear unattractive and unwelcoming. After a discussion with Mr Hii regarding the various problems facing the development of tourism in Bau, it is hoped that this matter can be conveyed to the Sarawak government and the relevant authorities as soon as possible so that major steps can be taken to tackle the issues.
12 Company Flag Pole (Pavilion) at Bau Lama
Dr Hiram said that “By working together as a collective and responsible unit, we can preserve our “green” and “gold”destinations using tourism as a vehicle of value creation. I believe Bau District can be developed to be an exemplar responsible tourism destination in Sarawak and a reference point for tourism development in other districts and rural areas.”
Taiton Attracts
the Attention of MOTAC
NICHOLAS TIONG and FAREINY MORNI
9th October 2021
On 7th October 2021, Sarawak Research Society (SRS) and the community leaders of Bau joined hands to welcome the officials of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) to visit several of Bau’s historical landmarks and famous attractions. The purpose of this event is to highlight and report a number of the issues faced by each destination in attracting visitor interest.
The participants in this tour include the Director of Tourism Malaysia Puan Noriah Jaafar, Assistant Director En. Kevin Jantan anak Robert Bidi, Tourism Officer Puan Agnes Felicia Joseph, Tourism Officer Yusaini Amir Mohamad Yusof, Director of One Wayang Sdn. Bhd. Mr Chua Juan Chuan, Regional Manager of Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) En Abdul Mutalib, Head of Section of SFC Ms Arianti Atong, Chairman of Hwa Gong Bau Historical Society Pemanca Bong Jong Long, Treasurer Mr Lucas Lim Tee Kiat, Taiton Kapitan Phang Man Fook, Chairman of SRS Assoc. Prof. Dr Hiram Ting and his project team.
Experimental Tour participants at the entrance of Gold Mine Cave where Angelic Rays are spotted.
As part of the Experimental Tour program, the half-day trip began at 9:30 a.m. and ended at 11 a.m. Among the destinations that were visited are Sleeping Beauty, Little Guilin, Double V Hole, Golden Stone Hole (Angelic Rays), and Little Stone Forest.
After a successful first experimental tour which was held in July 2021, positive steps had been taken by the government to protect the natural attractions in Bau. In order to prevent the natural habitat from being further damaged by illegal miners, a number of the caves in Taiton have been gazetted and protected under the custodian of SFC. Among the first steps taken by SFC is the erection of fencing on the border of the newly established national park in Taiton.
During this trip, other major challenges facing the development of local tourism in Bau were also effectively communicated to Puan Noriah and her team. This is to provide them with the correct information to assess the difficulties faced by the local community in making Bau a preferred tourism destination. It is hoped that these issues can be addressed and rectified by the necessary agencies as soon as possible.
As a gesture of appreciation, at the end of the trip, Dr Hiram presented the second issue of Journal of Responsible Tourism Management to Puan Noriah and Encik Abdul Mutalib. Future meetings were also discussed in order to expedite collaborations between stakeholders to ensure the preservation of Taiton and its status as one of Sarawak’s national park.
RCE to Initiate Education for Sustainable Development in Bau
FAREINY MORNI
20th October 2021
The third Experimental Tour of Bau, Sarawak was held on Friday, 15th October 2021. The purpose of the excursion is to visit a number of the tourist attractions in Bau and explore the possibilities of working together with schools on educating students on environmental protection. The one-day trip was guided by Chairman of Hwa Gong Bau Historical Society Pemanca Bong Jong Long, Taiton Kapitan Phang Nyat Kiaw, Mao San Kapitan Chung Man Fook and Kapitan Pui.
The trip began with a short morning hike for about twenty minutes up the Golden Hill at Bau Lama. The route up the hill was steep for the first few metres before turning into a low slope, allowing hikers to easily navigate the terrain to reach the top. Throughout the hike, hikers can experience not only the peaceful solitude of nature, but also appreciate the flora and fauna along the trail such as jungle ferns, pitcher plants and many more. At the top of the hill, there is a temple where visitors can offer their prayers or appreciate the majestic view overlooking the Blue Lake (Tasik Biru).
Not far from the Golden Hill, is the 12 Company Flag Pole (Pavilion). The flag pole is sheltered by a pavilion, a remnant from an Indonesian mining company called 12 Company which was established more than a century ago in Bau for the purpose of mining gold. However, the company disbanded during the time of Rajah Brooke in Sarawak.
After Bau Lama, the participants went to explore the caves located at Taiton Lorong 9. Three cave openings were explored, these openings led to the same underground passage system of the Gold Mine Caves where the Angelic Rays is located. There are two small lakes at the exterior of the caves, facing several hill slopes that are known as the Sleeping Beauty. The interior of the caves are surprisingly dry, large and airy, without the usual musty smell that are associated with underground passages. Despite the caves gazetted as a totally protected area (TPA) under the custodian of Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), there is some evidence of illegal gold mining on the ground and even on the walls of the caves.
After lunch, the group visited the Rock Maze in Paku where natural rock formations can be found jutting out from the earth in various shapes and sizes. These gigantic rock formations have unique shapes and the symmetrical cutting between the rocks make it appear as if the rocks are naturally cut into several pieces.
Exploring Rock Maze at Paku, Bau
The final destination is to the Borneo Keranji Farm where the visitors are able to experience local farming and animal raising activities as well as unique camping/ glamping experiences which include staying overnight in a refurnished bus. The Borneo Keranji Farm cultivates their own vegetables and fruits and raises farm animals. The farm aims to provide education and awareness to local and international visitors on cultivation activities.
The trip ended with a short networking session was conducted between Responsible Borneo (REBORN), Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Kuching and Sarawak Research Society (SRS) with school board members and teachers from several schools in Bau. The purpose of the session is to discuss opportunities and avenues between REBORN, RCE Kuching and SRS on how to educate and empower students in Bau on sustainable tourism and environmental awareness through education.
From scenic hills, natural rock formations to historical sites, Bau is blessed with a wide range of natural attractions. However, these attractions do not attract enough attention because they are not well-known by tourists. With the many efforts that are underway to promote the many tourist spots Bau, it is hoped that this will bring in more visitors to area. Besides that, there should be more awareness among the locals on the need to preserve these attractions so that it can be enjoyed by our future generation. Evidences of illegal mining and littering around the caves indicate that more should be done to ensure everyone play their role to keep the natural attractions in Bau in its pristine condition.
SRS, RCE Kuching and community leaders meeting with school principal and teachers in Bau
This trip was led by Chairperson of RCE Kuching Mdm Mukvinder Kaur Sandhu, together with Assoc. Prof. Dr Hiram Ting, Mr Lucas Lim Tee Kiat, Nicholas Tiong, Solomon Wong, Fareiny Morni, Adlin Baizura Ariffin, Magdalyn Chan, Mandy Chen, Alice Lim and Onel.
Totally Protected Area Pillaged by Illegal Miners
NICHOLAS TIONG and FAREINY MORNI
7th December 2021
On 2nd December 2021, members of Sarawak Research Society (SRS), Sarawak Delta GeoPark, the community leaders of Bau District and media member from New Sarawak Tribune visited several Bau’s historical attractions as well as unique landscape formations. This experimental tour is a continual activity of “Green and Gold Experiential Tourism in Bau District” project under Responsible Borneo (REBORN).
The experimental tour was accompanied by Chairman of Hwa Gong Bau Historical Society Pemanca Bong Jong Long, Chairman of Persatuan Penganut Shak Bong Kung Paku Paku Kapitan Pui Shak Sin, Taiton Kapitan Phang Man Fook, Dr Dana Badang from Sarawak Delta GeoPark, Mr William Chai from New Sarawak Tribune, Ms Julie Liaw Wan Ing, Chairman of SRS Assoc. Prof. Dr Hiram Ting and his project team.
The half-day experimental tour began at 10:00 a.m. and ended at 2:30 p.m. The destinations in the trip were a mining cave at Dered Krian National Park at Taiton Lorong 9, a historical site which used to be a mining stockyard in Bau Town, and the geological rock formation at Paku Rock Maze Garden.
The mining cave is located at a Totally Protected Area (TPA) in Dered Krian National Park, which is under the management of Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC). This is a low-lying area that is prone to flood during the rainy season. During the tour, it was found that illegal mining activities inside the cave had become more rampant and this had caused extensive damage to the cave interior. If these illegal mining activities were not stopped, the interior of the cave would be forever altered by these looters. Some samples were collected by the Sarawak Delta GeoPark for further investigation.
Paku Rock Maze Garden is located at Paku Town, Bau District. According to Dr Dana Badang, there was a possibility that Paku Rock Maze Garden area used to be underwater, and the rock formation could be formed by the sea water. Each line formed on the rocks could be the result of over one million years of erosion.
The mining stockyard used to be three huge stockyards but was destroyed in a large fire many years ago. After the experimental tour was done, the visitors headed to SMK Paku and had another advantageous discussion with Mr. Ambrose, the headmaster for SMK Paku. The meeting started at 3:00 p.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m.
Picture 1: The entrance of the cave at Dered Krian National Park at Taiton Lorong 9
Picture 2: The interior of the cave at Taiton Lorong 9, located in Dered Krian National Park
Picture 3:Remnants of a former Mining Stockyard in Bau
Picture 5: Some of the rock formation at Paku Rock Maze Garden
Picture 8: Group photo with Mr. Ambrose, the Principal of SMK Paku