SIMUNJAN: Simunjan, which is about 90 kilometres (km) from Kuching city, is set to be developed as a tourist attraction as well as an agricultural district to help increase the income of locals.

Simunjan state seat incumbent Awla Dris said Simunjan has several areas with tourism potential, such as Gunung Ngeli and Temiang.

The development of tourism facilities, including homestay, in surrounding areas is being actively planned so as to ensure the success of tourism development in Simunjan, he told Bernama recently.

The desire to turn Simunjan into a tourism destination is also supported by Batang Sadong Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who is also the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Nancy said the fact that Simunjan is the oldest district in Sarawak was one aspect that could be an attraction for the district to be developed.

Under the National Tourism Policy 2020-2023, she said her ministry had applied for land to be included in the Tourism Development Zone area in Gunung Ngeli and its surrounding areas costing RM40 million.

"We want to develop Gunung Ngeli. We will develop Dewan Warisan (so there is) specific place for the country's craft institution in Simunjan. These are already in the planning," she told Bernama.

Nancy stressed that her ministry wanted to involve local communities in Simunjan for tourism activities by holding tourism industry-related courses.

"We have courses for those who are active in the tourism sector in Simunjan. The plans are there, the products are definitely there... we want to hold voluntourism programmes involving students so that they know the stories about Simunjan.

"When there are tourists, they are the ones who will come forward to be guides and get paid... we want them to be trained," said Nancy.

On agricultural activities, Awla said a 3.24-hectare area would be developed with various crops, including ginger and tumeric.

"So far, this area has been cleared and work will continue next year. We have selected the underprivileged (to work the land) from every village. So far, we have selected 14 participants as an experiment," he said.

To ensure the district has good Internet coverage, Awla said he would discuss with the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) to build more telecommunication towers from next year.

He said an application to construct 12 telecommunication towers had been forwarded to the SMA and, so far, four towers had been built.

-- BERNAMA