Kandangan, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Daha Utara Sub-district Head in South Hulu Sungai (HSS), Taufiqurrahman, requested for support of all parties related to the closure of Kalang Hadangan (swamp buffalo) tourist attraction in Pandak Daun Village, starting Monday (June 22, 2020).
He said, the decision was taken solely for the good of the whole community in terms of safety and health, especially in an effort to break the chain of COVID-19 pandemic.
"In principle, we strongly support tourism activities that have a very good impact on the economy and entertainment for the citizens, as well as introducing our region as a tourist destination. However, for the time being, we need mutual awareness to prevent undesirable things from happening," he pointed out.
He explained that at the beginning of the pandemic still tolerated with an agreement of shipload of no more than 20 passengers in accordance with the health protocol, and all people required to wear masks.
The tolerance was solely for the public to get entertainment and responding to the shipowner complaints that there was no income. But, after seeing what happened on Sunday (June 21) with dangdutan (music concert) that was uncommendable, it was then evaluated.
The tolerance limits and agreements had been very much violated, such as the crowd getting bigger without regarding the health protocol, irregularity, and overloaded ships. For these reasons, starting today all tourism activities in Kalang Hadangan during the COVID-19 pandemic are closed.
"Starting today, every ship wants to go to Kalang Hadangan must return back, and we continue to invite all to pray together to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala hopefully the COVID-19 pandemic to end soon," he said on Monday.
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Meanwhile, a swamp buffalo herdsman Selamat said the large number of visitors was enough to disrupt the swamp buffalos activities, and hoped that visitors not to come to the location of the cage.
He said, the buffalo became tired because of disruption and disturbed to go up to their cage, while they used to go straight to the cage. But now, because of many visitors, the herdsman has to go down to drive the buffalo to the cage.
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