Use jungles to generate sustainable income - KETSA

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the federal government understood that logging is the states’ source of income but believed there were better alternatives of generating income from the jungles.

‘’We want to encourage the state governments to avoid cutting down their forests but to use them for sustainable activities which can bring income such as tourism,’’ he said

He was speaking to reporters after attending a Tree Planting Programme on the fringes of Pantai Senok, here, today.

He also planted 100 Casuarina trees in conjunction with Plant 100 Million Trees campaign during the event.

Commenting further, Shamsul Anuar said KETSA had set up an Eco-Tourism Unit in an effort to mobilise efforts to turn areas that were planted with trees as locations for tourism.

‘’Pantai Senok is among the examples of the efforts of the ministry to make the area more attractive. We aspire to compete with what is available in South Korea (Nami Island).

‘’This area will become a tourism attraction if there is good planning, despite the absence of snow, to become a source of income without having to cut down the trees,’’ he added.