Developing criteria and indicators for responsible rural tourism in Taman Negara National Park (TNNP), Malaysia

The tourism industry in Malaysia is being transformed from low yield to high yield income. With the launch of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), Malaysia is set to achieve high income nation status by the end of the decade. Rural tourism and ecotourism is growing at a phenomenal rate in Malaysia and is expected to be a major contributor to the nation's tourism receipt. Nonetheless, in the last decade, the concept of ecotourism and rural tourism has melded with mainstream tourism to lose its distinctness. Consequently, the tourism industry's growth through-out the years has created an increasing amount of stress economically, socially and environmentally. For a sustainable development of the rural tourism sector, the benefits must be equitably distributed among the private interests, public sector, tourists and local population. Criteria and indicators of sustainability that reflect the costs and benefits must be precise yet simple enough to be understood and easily implemented by field staff. The objective of this study is to develop criteria and indicators of sustainability for Taman Negara. The study uses Delphi technique to identify and develop a set of priority criteria and indicators, which is used to determine the sustainability of the development of Taman Negara National Park. The results of the study produced a set of 15 criteria and 58 indicators of sustainability which are comparable to the lists adopted by international, regional and national programs in the development of criteria and indicators. The indicators encompass the components of economic, social and environmental values associated with responsible development. These indicators will then be used in the development of a tourism barometer that will act as a national integrated tourism management system. This fundamental study plays an important role in innovating new approaches by developing indicators to holistically measure the multi-dimensional relationships between different tourism models and the linkages to local economies and environment in key natural and rural destinations in Malaysia

Y-chromosomal gene flow of Macaca fascicularis (Cercopithecidae) between the insular and mainland peninsula of Penang state, Malaysia

DNA sequencing of the Y-chromosome testis-specific protein locus (TSPY) and sex-determining region (SRY) was conducted on 27 Macaca fascicularis individuals from eight insular and two peninsula localities of Penang State, Malaysia. Five haplotypes were discovered from the Penang samples, of which four were unique for that population. These haplotypes constituted of related individuals as observed in the Y-chromosomal gene flow within and between the insular and mainland regions. The occurrence of a dominant haplotype shared amongst M. fascicularis from southern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra could be the result of a recent dispersal event from the common Pleistocene refugia, which had most likely been located in the Malay Peninsula. A combination of nucleotides at 12 sites distinguished the M. fascicularis from the northern region of the Isthmus of Kra from those of the southern region including our samples. The molecular phylogenetic tree confirmed that, unlike conspecific populations from regions north of the Isthmus of Kra, M. fascicularis from the southern region of the isthmus were free of introgression of Y-chromosome from M. mulatta. We dated the last common ancestors shared by the fascicularis group at approximately 1.5 million years ago (mya). Also, we estimated the bifurcation between the insular and the continental lineages of M. fascicularis as approximately 0.7 mya, which had been estimated as 0.4 mya in a previous study. Finally, similarly to the observations on various taxa by previous authors we recognise the role of the Isthmus of Kra area as a genetic barrier to the dispersal of and to gene flow in M. fascicularis

Using Y-Chromosome to elucidate the evolution and dispersal pattern of the long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Southeast Asia

We employed a combined segment of the testis-specific protein (TSPY) and the sex determining region (SRY) of the Y-chromosome gene to elucidate the evolutionary pattern of the long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Southeast Asia. A maximum-likelihood (ML) tree and a phylogenetic network were constructed using 147 sequences of M. fascicularis from the Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak including sequences from the other regions of the species range taken from the other previous studies. Measurements of standard genetic diversity indices were calculated. Our findings revealed that the M. fascicularis are separated into two major groups of the continental and the insular lineages. Furthermore, the continental lineage is separated into two faunal regions demarcated at the Isthmus of Kra. The Y-chromosome dataset revealed a dominant haplotype emerging at around 0.25 (±0.1) million years ago (mya) which was shared by 82 samples from the southern region of the Isthmus of Kra which ranges from Songkhla, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula and downwards to Sumatra, Indonesia. The insular lineage emerged at around 0.61 (±0.4) mya which occupied the island of Borneo and the Philippines. We also confirmed that the introgression of the M. mulatta Ychromosome into the Indochinese M. fascicularis (Vietnam and Cambodia) are absent in the M. fascicularis haplotypes from the southern region of the Isthmus of Kra. Keywords: Macaca fascicularis, Y-chromosome, phylogenetic tree and network, dispersal route, time estimates

The identification of criteria and indicators for the sustainable management of ecotourism in Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia: A Delphi consensus.

The purpose of this study was to identify sustainability criteria and indicators for evaluating sustainable ecotourism development in Taman Negara National Park (TNNP), Malaysia. This was an attempt to develop sustainability measurements for the evaluation of ecotourism from the theoretical concept of sustainable development. The Delphi method and public survey were used to solicit opinions from an interdisciplinary panel of Malaysian experts and public groups regarding suitable criteria and indicators of sustainability for TNNP. The objectives were to develop a methodology for identifying criteria and indicators, generating criteria and indicators most important for measuring sustainable ecotourism. development and initiating development of a sustainability evaluation procedure for TNNP. Three rounds of Delphi procedure and two rounds of public survey using questionnaires were used to converge and identify priority criteria and indicators. Overall, the methodology involved the identification, selection, and evaluation of measurable criteria and indicators of ecotourism sustainability. The results showed that the general public of TNNP was only partially knowledgeable about the concept of sustainable development. The public groups identified the conservation of natural heritage as the main meaning of sustainable ecotourism development. The important values of the park included the maintenance of ecological functions and providing life-support processes. The local tourists and stakeholders rated highly on the overall values of the park, but the foreign tourists provided significantly higher ratings for nature conservation and indigenous people uses of TNNP. The Public survey also revealed a total of 25 goals recommended for TNNP. The outcome of this iterative study was the identification of 15 criteria and 58 indicators of sustainable ecotourism development for TNNP. They encompass the component of economic, social, and environment that associated with sustainable development. Standard measurements were suggested for the criteria and indicators of tourism sustainability. These measurements were recommended as measurable standard for the criteria and indicators of sustainable tourism. The Delphi process provided a valuable framework for tapping experts\u27 knowledge and public opinion on gathering and refining criteria and indicators of sustainability. The iterative public survey and the Delphi process all drew relevance with the issue of identifying criteria and indicators of sustainable ecotourism development in TNNP

Y-chromosomal gene flow of Macaca fascicularis (Cercopithecidae) between the insular and mainland peninsula of Penang state, Malaysia

DNA sequencing of the Y-chromosome testis-specific protein locus (TSPY) and sex-determining region (SRY) was conducted on 27 Macaca fascicularis individuals from eight insular and two peninsula localities of Penang State, Malaysia. Five haplotypes were discovered from the Penang samples, of which four were unique for that population. These haplotypes constituted of related individuals as observed in the Y-chromosomal gene flow within and between the insular and mainland regions. The occurrence of a dominant haplotype shared amongst M. fascicularis from southern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra could be the result of a recent dispersal event from the common Pleistocene refugia, which had most likely been located in the Malay Peninsula. A combination of nucleotides at 12 sites distinguished the M. fascicularis from the northern region of the Isthmus of Kra from those of the southern region including our samples. The molecular phylogenetic tree confirmed that, unlike conspecific populations from regions north of the Isthmus of Kra, M. fascicularis from the southern region of the isthmus were free of introgression of Y-chromosome from M. mulatta. We dated the last common ancestors shared by the fascicularis group at approximately 1.5 million years ago (mya). Also, we estimated the bifurcation between the insular and the continental lineages of M. fascicularis as approximately 0.7 mya, which had been estimated as 0.4 mya in a previous study. Finally, similarly to the observations on various taxa by previous authors we recognise the role of the Isthmus of Kra area as a genetic barrier to the dispersal of and to gene flow in M. fascicularis