Day: July 27, 2006

Thank you for shining the light on Pulau Sipadan (‘Lay Off Sipadan’ – The Star, Thursday, July 27, 2006) by giving it the headlines. The Prime Minister should follow-up on his outrage over the matter and put a halt to this blatant stupidity, especially after the barge incident that destroyed that patch of reef on May 14, 2006.

It should be remembered that the government had ordered all resort operators on Sipadan to remove ALL structures off the island by December 31, 2004 following the findings of a study by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, to preserve the island’s eco-system. The study found that there were signs of water stress. This occurs when the island’s natural fresh water supplies are consumed faster than they can be replenished, and seawater flows in to replace the lost volume. Satellite images then showed that the island had lost 20 percent of its natural vegetation. Sewage was found in groundwater with e-coli bacteria contaminating the wells. About half the shoreline used by turtles to nest were taken up by buildings, and their lights deterred the turtles from nesting. Since the eviction of the operators, all visitors to the island have based themselves from resorts on nearby island, a short 15-minute boat ride away.

On May 19, 2006, four days after the barge incident, the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah said to a local Sabah daily that there is a need for restaurants and toilet facilities to be built on the island to cater for divers numbering up to 120 daily. If there was such a need, why evict the original operators in the first place instead of upgrading the existing facilities? Why should there be any facility at all when the divers can relax in comfort after their dives at Sipadan at their respective resorts 15 minutes away?

This is the very same Deputy Chief Minister who, when the judgment on the ownership of Sipadan was passed by the ICJ, was quoted to have said the following:

“With the landmark decision we are now responsible for the protection and conservation of the abundant marine life around these remarkable islands,” he said.

As for Sipadan, he said: “The jungle will be allowed to return to its natural state with beaches cleared for nesting turtles and we hope Sipadan’s reefs will be able to return to their former glory.”

As a diver from Malaysia I feel very much ashamed that the powers-that-be show very little appreciation for God’s gifts to us. I feel even more ashamed and disgusted that disrespect is shown by the leader of a state to the leader of our great nation. I can see no greater arrogance than that.