Lyna Mohamad
Sixteen Legislative Council (LegCo) members visited entrepreneurship, agriculture, forestry and tourism hubs in the Temburong District yesterday.
It was the third visit organised by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT), to share and understand the latest development of entrepreneurial, agriculture and tourism activities in the district.
The first was held in the Belait District on January 20 and Tutong District on January 25.
They were joined by Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the MPRT Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Haji Mohd Yusree bin Haji Junaidi, department heads and senior officers from the MPRT.
The LegCo members first visited Bukit Patoi Forest Recreation Park at the Peradayan Forest reserve area. The park was first opened to the public in 1997 and is a forest recreation park under the purview of the Forestry Department.
Spanning 1,073 hectares, the park is equipped with several facilities for visitors such as a surau, resting huts, barbecue area and forest track. A total of 6,595 visitors were recorded last year.
At the park, the LegCo members were briefed on the construction of restaurant project suggestion at the site to increase its attractions.
From Bukit Patoi, the LegCo members were briefed on the luxury eco-resort project at Kampong Perdayan. The project was awarded to Eco-Green Sdn Bhd last January for the construction of a two-hectare luxury eco-resort accommodation.
It began construction last January and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year. Some 30 jobs will be up for grabs for locals.
Their next visit was the CropBee Farm at the Agriculture Development Site (KKP) Semabat in Mukim Bokok. The visitors were briefed by manager and proprietor of Cropbee Farm Siti Nursyazwani binti Haji Awang.
CropBee Farm operates on a 20-hectare plot of land under the pilot project in May 2019 to carry out farm activities for seasonal fruits such as durians, petai, rambutan, langsat duku and pulasan as the main crop. Non-seasonal fruits such as bananas, pineapples, coconuts as well as vegetables are also farmed as side plantations.
Last year, the company produced about 543kg of fruits worth BND2,076. It employs three locals.
The visit concluded at Freme Rainforest Lodge located on a 0.35-acre plot of land in Kampong Batang Duri and employs 14 locals as tourist guide, housekeeper and temuai driver.
The LegCo members will visit agricultural sites in the Brunei-Muara District on January 30.