PUTRAJAYA, Oct 17 — The Camping Site Planning Guidelines (GPP) prepared by the Local Government Development Ministry (KPKT) is ready and will be distributed to local authorities (PBT) nationwide soon.

Its minister Nga Kor Ming said the comprehensive guidelines will be a reference for campsite operators in relation to licence applications, to ensure that recreation areas are safe for visitors.

"The safety of the site by determining the appropriate distance from restricted areas, the topographical conditions and so forth, are among the important aspects included in the guidelines.

"Despite the recommended guidelines, natural disasters will occur unexpectedly. So, no matter how detailed our guidelines, if a natural disaster like an earthquake were to occur, we cannot run away,” he told reporters after officiating at the Bring Your Own Programme here today.

The GPP was made following the landslide incident in Batang Kali in December last year, taking into account the views and feedback from various relevant agencies including local authorities and campsite operators.

A total of 92 victims were involved in the incident that occurred on December 16, which saw 61 survivors and 31 people killed.

At the same time, Nga called on parents to pay attention to safety aspects when planning a vacation with the family at the end of the year as the weather could be unpredictable.

On today’s programme organised by the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp), Nga said it was a followup to the #Don’tUseCampaign which was implemented since October 2018 in conjunction with the National Recycling Day to raise public awareness on plastic waste and avoid the use of single-use plastic bags.

According to him, the programme was implemented in collaboration with stakeholders at the state level, including local authorities, residents’ associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

"With continued efforts, I am confident that we can raise awareness to reduce the use of single-use plastics and also contribute to achieve the target of a 40 per cent recycling rate by 2025,” he said. — Bernama