Evaluation on Geoheritage Potential of the Lojing–Gua Musang Road, Kelantan

Abstract

The Lojing-Gua Musang road runs through outcrops that are home to various species of flora and fauna. The road also exposes several lithologies, including those from the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone and the Main Range granite. The area has significant geoheritage values that make it suitable to be geosites. The study aimed to evaluate the potential of the selected localities as geosites based on their educational/scientific, aesthetic/scenic, protection values and public safety. The geoheritage potential assessment was divided into two phases: (1) data gathering for the potential geosite and (2) evaluation using a scoring rubric of the Geosite Assessment Model (GAM). The sites assessed were Gunung Swettenham, Sungai Ber Hot Spring, Pos Blau brecciated limestone, and Pos Blau bedded chert. The assessment results showed that Gunung Swettenham and Sungai Ber Hot Spring had higher scores due to their aesthetic values and better protection. Brecciated limestone and bedded chert in Pos Blau area had lower scores in most of the categories of this assessment. To improve the quality of these potential geotourism spots, the study recommends the construction of basic infrastructures, including parking lots, information boards, proper pavement to the interest points, electronic monitoring devices, lighting systems, and security boundaries. Overall, the study suggests that with proper development, these geosites have the potential to attract tourists and promote geotourism in the area