Table of Contents
Table of Figure 1
Acknowledgement 2 1.0 Background of HomestayGemas 3 2.0 Issues in Homestay Gemas 4 2.1 Environmental issues/impacts 4 2.1.1 The concept of carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change 4 2.1.2 Design and construction of physical facilities 4 2.1.3 Sustainable and environmental responsibility 4 2.2 Socio-cultural issues/impacts 4 2.2.1 Manpower training 4 2.3 Economic issues/impacts 4 2.3.1 Self-financing mechanisms 4 2.3.2 Marketing and promotional strategies 5 2.4 Others 5 2.4.1 Inter-sectoral participation 5 2.4.2 Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in sustainability 5 2.4.3 Specific legal modifications 5 3.0 Conclusion 8
References 8
Bibliography 8
Appendices 8
Table of Figure Figure 1 Gemas Map
1.0 Background of Homestay Gemas
Gemas is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor border and about 50 km south of Kuala Lumpur. Gemas is divided to Gemas Lama and Gemas Baru. Gemas Lama is located in Johor and Gemas Baru is located in Negeri Sembilan.
Gemas is the entryway from the south through railway. Since the existence of the Gemas railway station 1922, it is very well known as the ‘railway junction’. The station is a major landmark to many who wants to visit the place.
Gemas, consisting of four villages – Kampung Ladang, Kampung Ulu Ladang, Kampung Bangkahulu and Kampung Londah, has 26 houses in total that are involved in the homestay programme. These villages have been involved in this homestay programme since 2006. Hence, it is called Homestay Gemas.
Figure 1 Gemas Map They offers a lot of activities and sports, such as kayaking, soccer match at the paddy field, jungle trekking, cave exploring and interactive village games that requires a lot of skills and strategies. Homestay Gemas is about 15 to 20 minutes’ drive from the Gemas railway station. There are buses and cabs available at the station.
2.0 Issues in Homestay Gemas
2.1 Environmental issues/impacts
2.1.1 The concept of carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change
According to Carrying Capacity Network (CCN), the number of individuals who can be supported in a given area within natural resource limits, and without degrading the natural social, cultural and economic environment for present and future generations is referred as carrying capacity. The capacity for a given area is not fixed, however it can be altered by improved technology, which may change for the worse by pressures which accompany a population increase.
The carrying capacity in Homestay Gemas depends on the number of houses available as it shows the number of people that can stay at the homestay at a time.
2.1.2 Design and construction of physical facilities
In our time at Homestay Gemas, we noticed that there are lack of facilities such as toilets, souvenir shops and tourist information centre. This is very essential, in our opinion, as it gives convenience to the incoming tourists. There are also nowhere is available to browse or buy souvenirs made by the local communities. This shows that the facilities is lacking.
2.1.3 Sustainable and environmental responsibility Homestay Gemas is a settlement from the early settlers from Bengkulu tribe in South Sumatera, Indonesia in 1922. The homestay is built in the village area.
2.2 Socio-cultural issues/impacts
2.2.1 Manpower training
2.3 Economic issues/impacts
2.3.1 Self-financing mechanisms
The income of Homestay Gemas is mainly from the homestay establishment. They attract visitors by offering the experience of the “traditional ‘kampung’ lifestyle” and a lot of activities in the village setting, such as kayaking, soccer match in the paddy field, jungle trekking, cave exploring and interactive village games that requires a lot of skills and strategies. There are also handicrafts and Tart Bengkulu, a local delicacy from Kampung Bangkahulu.
The homestay has a campground on the banks of Sungai Muar called Kubang Lake. The campground is a recreation area that provides futsal courts, a hall and a dressing room. However, it is not well maintained, because of decreasing demand of usage of the area.
2.3.2 Marketing and promotional strategies
Homestay Gemas uses social media as their marketing tool to promote the place. The information in the medium is sufficient; however, by referring to the date posted, it is outdated. Thus, the administrator of the social media account might need to consider updating the status of the account to the latest activities happening at the Homestay.
2.4 Others
2.4.1 Inter-sectoral participation
KampungBangkahulu had been approached by Negeri Sembilan Tourism Action Council to hold a Historical Colloquium of KampungBangkahulu in 2008. This shows the involvement from the government sector in developing the village.
According to an article from Utusan dated 7 December 2008, the colloquium is to introduce and spread the information about the history and culture practiced by the local community of the village. The scientific program will introduce and disseminate information on the history and culture practiced by the village community to foster awareness among the public, especially local residents and young people today about the importance of knowing the local history and love of traditional villages.
2.4.2 Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in sustainability
2.4.3 Specific legal modifications
According to Act 133,
1. Maintenance and repair of public roads.
(1) The local authority shall, so far as its funds will allow,cause all public streets together with the footways, whether covered byaked or not, maintained and repaired and can -
(A) cause them paved, metal or slabs, heldchannels, trenches, curbs, lights or otherwise seem fairly decorated andits surface is raised, lowered or altered as it thinks fit;
(B) make and keep in repair any footways forthe use of pedestrians in any way;
(C) put up on the side of the footway or otherwise that such fences and poles neededto protect pedestrians;
(D) provide street lighting.Stone border
(2) The local authority may erect or install on any premisesabutting a public road, the boundary stones or other marks to showthe length, width and alignment of the street.
Penalty
(3) Any person who removes, defaces or injures any stoneor mark established in accordance with this Act shall be liable on conviction to a fine notexceeding five hundred ringgit.The owner or occupier to protect boundary stones
(4) An owner or occupier of any premises in which or her stone or markit is established or installed shall protect the stone or mark.
(5) The expense of replacing any such stone or mark shall be paid by the occupier,or if the premises are unoccupied, the owner, and shall be recoverable in the allocatedhereinafter.
2. Power to make and improve streets.
The local authority may, with the approval of the State Authority -
(A) organize and make streets and back alleys of the new;
(B) build and construct bridges and tunnels;
(C) turning, detour, leave or close any public roads; and
(D) widening, opening, enlarging or otherwise improve any roadpublic.
3. Power to take land adjoining new streets for building purposes.
(1) In laying out or make a new road, or on the wide, open,enlarging or otherwise improving any public road, other than landrequired for the carriageways and footways, the local authority can ask forState Authorities to acquire the land necessary for the building to form the roadand with the approval of the State Authority may -
(A) erect any structure on the land so acquired or amendany existing buildings on it; and
(B) sell and dispose of land or buildings with such stipulations and conditionshe thinks fit on the class and type of buildings to be erected on the land.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), in respect of the Federal Territory reference to theState Authority shall be construed as references to the Federal Government.
4. Hedges and trees bordering the road to be trimmed.
( 1 ) The local authority may by notice in writing require the owner or occupier of any land to trim or prune hedges on it thatabutting any street in order to hedge the plant no more than seven feetheight from street level, and , on the fence plant within fifteen yards ofa corner , no more than four feet in height from street level , and tocut and trim all the branches of trees or overhanging any street .
( 2 ) If the owner or occupier does not comply with the notice within the period specified therein ,the local authority may itself cause the work to be done and recover costsand shopping in the manner hereinafter provided .
