Instead of focusing only on beaches and islands, the state minister for tourism, culture, and environment should support forest reserves in Sabah also, says the Kuamut Assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah.

He said the government had allocated more than RM60 million to build a research center in the region, citing Imbak Canyon.

He also mentioned the Sabah center Mount Tingkar Forest Reserve.

"If the intention is to promote Sabah's tourism to the world, the Ministry also needs to promote Kuamut's forest reserves, but I see our minister for tourism only going from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau and back.

"The Ministry should also help promote natural tourism items like our forests, lakes, and clean waterfalls," he said.

He said the impression of the European Union that there is a lack of effort to conserve our forests could be a contributing factor to the nation's crude palm oil which receives less support from such countries.

"So let's show the world that we are looking after our forests, not just cutting down our trees, but rather protecting our forests," he said when addressing the proposed state budget.

He said effort must be made to show the world that the government of the state is environmentally sensitive.