Earlier this month, development company Sim Leisure unveiled its plan to build an ESCAPE theme park in Cameron Highlands, which is slated to be open in 2023.
The company specialises in constructing outdoor adventure theme parks and waterparks, and their major projects include the ESCAPE theme park in Penang and LEGOLAND in Johor.
ESCAPE Cameron Highlands is a Europe-themed theme park spanning across a 60-acre valley, featuring a 1.2km ski-slope and five European-themed villages.
Sim Leisure CEO Sim Choo Kheng assured Malaysians that the RM100mil project would be environmental-friendly.
We are going carbon neutral. All the energy that we will be using will account for renewable energy.
We will still be connected to the grid, but the energy consumption will be offset by renewable energy mainly coming from photovoltaic facilities, wind turbines and hydropower.”
Sim added that the energy consumption used in Phase One would be less than 100 kilowatts during the virtual inking of the partnership agreement with Hektar Muda on August 2.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who witnessed the event, said that the project would contribute to the revival of the tourism industry.
However, a petition protesting against the project was launched on Change.org, with close to 50,000 Malaysians signing it.
The petition’s description claimed that the project will require deforestation, bringing severe repercussions on Cameron Highlands’ natural scenery and climate.
The local residents of Cameron Highlands urge the Pahang state overnment and Department of Environment to not allow this ESCAPE project to go ahead.“
Do you believe that the theme park would do good on its environmental promises? Let us know in the comments!
Cover Images via Change.org and TrendGrnd
Author: Raymond Chen
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh
