Mersing youths need be trained to venture into tourism - BN candidate

By Nur Faradilla Mohamad

MERSING, March 6 -- The youths in Mersing district, dubbed as the ‘Maldives of Malaysia’, need to be given skills training to enable them be involved in the tourism sector.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the State Legislative Assembly seat of Tenggaroh in the upcoming Johor election, K.Raven said youth involvement in the tourism industry could attract more tourists to Mersing.

“We need to have ongoing training that have already started with the cooperation of the relevant agencies in fields such as manicure and pedicure, spa treatment, leg massage and face painting to lure tourists,” he said, here,

Economic side activities could also encourage tourists to stay longer in this eastern coastal area of Johor, hence increasing the income of the local residents, said Raven, 40, who has been Tenggaroh assemblyman since 2013.

The Tenggaroh state seat is located in the Mersing parliamentary constituency. 

Raven said the economic side activities in the tourism industry could be carried out around the jetty area or popular tourist spots.

Mersing has five main islands, namely, Pulau Sibu, Pulau Besar, Pulau Tinggi, Pulau Aur and Pulau Pemanggil. 

On his chances of retaining the Tenggaroh seat in the upcoming Johor state election, Raven who is also the MIC Youth chief, said he was confident of BN retaining the seat.

"I can feel the aura of good acceptance from the people in this constituency and I will continue going down to the ground to attend to their problems while conveying BN’s aspirations and goals to them,” he added.

Raven will be challenged by Roslan Nikmat (Perikatan Nasional), Zulinah A. Johari (PH) and Mohd Firdaus Abd Rahman from Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang).

In the 14th General Election, Raven won the seat with a majority of 5,765 votes.

Polling in the Johor state election is on March 12.

-- BERNAMA