PEKAN: The Pahang government has plans to develop Tasik Chini, including the Lake Chini Resort, into a tourist attraction, Chini assemblyman Mohd Sharim Md Zain said.

Sharim dismissed talk that the former three-star Lake Chini Resort would be permanently shut down, as Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, during his recent visit to the lake, had said he wanted the premises to be back in operation.

"Yes, the area around the lake is undergoing massive rehabilitation, and the resort will also be part of the plan. The lake area is an ideal ecotourism destination.

"So any future development has to be done with proper planning without harming the environment. 

"I was made to understand that those who plan to invest in the resort will have to strictly adhere to certain guidelines and sustainable lake management. Their focus cannot be solely on business, but ensuring the surrounding areas and greenery is protected," Sharim said yesterday.

He was asked to comment on the fate of Lake Chini Resort, which had been closed since November 2019.

Tourism operators, including boatmen, have expressed hope that the state government would reopen the resort because of the lake's huge potential as a top tourist attraction.

Sharim said the focus would be on efforts to revive tourism in Tasik Chini and promote the lake's reopening.

"The lake is a tourism asset. Tree-replanting initiatives have begun on a huge scale in the surrounding areas, and this will be intensified with the support from government organisations, non-governmental organisations and villagers there, including the Orang Asli community.

"In September, a major gotong-royong will be held in conjunction with a tree-planting programme to clean the resort area and roads near the lake.

"We want to forget about the past and focus on promoting the lake as a popular destination," he said

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/08/822078/assemblyman-plan-reopen-resort