Kampung Telaga Air bounds back into a favourite tourist spot

ONCE a sleepy fishing village, Kampung Telaga Air - about 40km drive from Kuching city - is now abuzz with activities especially during the weekends. The village is a happening spot, attracting huge crowd, both locals and foreigners daily. Situated at the Telaga Air estuary in Matang and inhabited by more than 300 Malay families, it is also slowly but steadily turning into a favourite tourist destination with its homestay programme. Given a further boost, proper planning, strategic marketing and competitive packaging, the village has great potential to become one of the leading tourist destinations.

The village’s homestay programme which at one time was on the verge of closing shop is now becoming alive with strings of visitors, both locals and foreigners, coming to stay with more than 20 families taking part in the programme. Villager Ramli Tanggek, 48, said it would not be an exaggeration to say that “hundreds of people are coming in and out of the village on a daily basis. The number of visitors, at times, even surge to more than a 1,000.” The village, which is also strategically located near the proposed new Federal Government administrative centre in Matang and Rambungan sees visitors flocking in following the implementation of various development projects in the area.

One of the attractions is its esplanade and the beautifully developed waterfront project. Visitors who have not visited the village for a long time would be in for a surprise if they were to revisit the village now. Several modern facilities have and are being built to develop the place, including a modern jetty, a hawkers’ centre, children’s playground, a fish and vegetable market and a new village library. There is also a proposal to build a RM3.5mil mosque.

Changing: The modern jetty at Kampung Telaga Air waterfront.

Ramli said with its growing population and influx of tourists, perhaps, the only thing which was missing in the village was the presence of the security officials to help ensure and maintain security. He suggested that a police station or at least a ‘police pondok’ be built in the village, adding this would help to prevent any untoward incidents from happening. “The absence of the police officers makes some visitors feel unsafe,” he said, adding: “There were a few cases of fighting at night at the waterfront.” “Before matters get out of hand, I believe the presence of police officers is urgently required, at least to help maintain security at the waterfront area,” he pointed out.

Ramli said the villagers of Kampung Telaga Air had already agreed that a row of an unoccupied shoplot near the waterfront in the village be renovated to house a ‘police pondok’. “The waterfront is the most popular spot visited by visitors who come to enjoy the picturesque scene. It is also very popular among anglers,” he said. Ramli said the food and drinks stalls at the hawkers’ centre was also enjoying brisk business, adding: “The villagers are very thankful to the authorities, especially Sarawak Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) for the facilities.” Ramli, who also operates a stall near the waterfront, said the hawkers’ centre had proven to be very popular among visitors and opened up opportunities for the villages to earn extra income.

-thestar online.