Pengukuhan Nilai Sepunya Melalui Strategi Pendidikan Awam: Kajian Kes Kilim Geoforest Park, Malaysia Strengthening Shared Values Through the Strategy of Public Education: A Case Study of Kilim Geoforest Park, Malaysia

Abstract

Geopark is an innovative developmental approach that was introduced globally and it gives serious attention to the concept of a holistic development covering aspects of heritage conservation, community development, socio-economic improvement and public education. Efforts to integrate all the above aspects require a good integrated governance system that builds networking and common understanding between all the stakeholders. An integrated governance system implies that there is a need to find shared values as a binding agent of social relations at the organisational, institutional, and individual levels. This paper is based on an exploratory study that aims to identify the major components of shared values in order to strengthen the local community's common agenda for heritage conservation and sustainable livelihood. The study employed focus group discussions involving 21 respondents representing 15 stakeholders in Kilim Geoforest Park. The data collected were transcribed verbatim and went through various levels of data processing before arriving at the final themes. Five main components of shared values were developed which are: (1) natural and cultural heritage conservation; (2) infrastructure and support systems; (3) tourism and socio-economic development; (4) transfer and dissemination of knowledge; and (5) ecosystem sustainability. In general, the values of commitment, cleanliness, safety and carrying capacity received particular attention among the community stakeholders in their efforts to ensure a sustainable development of ecotourism in Kilim. Based on the findings, a framework for public education was developed grounded on the five shared values that takes into consideration the functions and responsibilities of each of the stakeholders. The educational intervention gives attention to two approaches which are stakeholder's and shared value approaches. It is hoped that the identified shared values can be incorporated into the development of an integrated governance system in Langkawi Geopark in order to help achieve the objectives of sustainable development.

Geopark adalah satu pendekatan pembangunan inovatif yang diperkenalkan di peringkat global dan memberi tumpuan serius kepada konsep pembangunan secara lestari dan holistik merangkumi aspek pemuliharaan warisan, pembangunan komuniti, peningkatan sosioekonomi serta pendidikan awam. Usaha untuk mengintegrasi kesemua aspek ini memerlukan sistem governans bersepadu agar hubungan kerjasama yang baik antara semua komuniti berkepentingan boleh terbentuk ke arah pembangunan lestari. Implikasi yang jelas dalam membentuk sistem governans bersepadu adalah mencari nilai sepunya sebagai agen pengikat hubungan sosial governans di peringkat organisasi, institusi dan individu. Makalah ini bertujuan mengenal pasti komponen utama berasaskan nilai bersama yang perlu dibentuk untuk memperkukuh nilai sepunya bagi mencapai agenda pemuliharaan warisan dan kelestarian kehidupan. Kajian berbentuk eksploratori ini menggunakan teknik temu bual kumpulan berfokus melibatkan 21 orang responden mewakili 15 pihak berkepentingan di Kilim. Berdasarkan tiga siri perbincangan bagi setiap kumpulan berfokus, data telah dibuat transkripsi verbatim dan penganalisisan data telah melalui beberapa tahap sebelum tema dibentuk. Lima komponen telah dikembang berasaskan kepada analisis tema hasil maklum balas responden terhadap kepelbagaian nilai yang wujud di Kilim iaitu: (1) pemuliharaan warisan tabii dan budaya; (2) infrastruktur dan sistem sokongan; (3) pelancongan dan pembangunan sosioekonomi; (4) pemindahan dan penyebaran ilmu; dan (5) kelestarian ekosistem. Secara umum, nilai komitmen, kebersihan, keselamatan dan had tampungan pelancong mendapat perhatian khusus komuniti berkepentingan dalam memastikan kelestarian pembangunan ekopelancongan di Kilim. Berdasarkan dapatan kajian, satu kerangka pendidikan awam berasaskan lima komponen nilai sepunya telah dibangunkan dengan mengambil kira kepelbagaian fungsi dan tanggungjawab pihak berkepentingan di Kilim. Cadangan intervensi pendidikan awam ini memberikan perhatian kepada dua pendekatan iaitu pendekatan berasaskan pihak berkepentingan dan pendekatan berasaskan nilai sepunya. Penerapan nilai sepunya melalui pendidikan awam diharap dapat mendokong prinsip pembangunan sistem governans bersepadu di Langkawi Geopark bagi mencapai objektif pembangunan lestari.