Between a MYR 5 million 2 million project on a island versus illegal divers, which do you think would bring about greater problem?
Why do I ask this?
Well. It’s simply because the state government of Sabah approves the construction of tourist facilities on Sipadan… :
SEMPORNA: Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman has given the go-ahead for the construction of tourist facilities on the eco-sensitive diving haven of Sipadan.
…and then acts as if the presence of illegal divers around Sipadan is a greater issue, while ignoring the effects of erecting a MYR 2 million facility on the island’s environment:
KOTA KINABALU: An increasing number of divers are going to the environmentally sensitive diving haven of Pulau Sipadan, off the east coast of Sabah, illegally.
Remember who and what caused the damage to the reefs at Sipadan last May.
This probably going to be another Tioman.
Read what a scuba site has to say:
SIPADAN, Malaysia (5 Sep 2006) — First the PADI scuba diving companies in Malaysia that polluted Sipadan refused to comply with a government eviction notice.
Then they enthusiastically endorsed a scheme to construct toilets on the tiny island even after the toilet construction barge completely wiped out one of Sipadan’s renowned coral reefs.
Now those same PADI scuba diving companies are flagrantly ignoring a marine park permit system aimed at reducing the impact of tourism on the ravaged island.
Welcome to ‘sustainable’ (sic) scuba diving tourism in Malaysia.
Yeah. Welcome to Malaysia, where sustainable development means destroying the environment and eco-tourism means building chalets, toilets and anything that bring comforts in the middle of supposedly nowhere.
p/s – I didn’t realize that PETA is active in Malaysia:
KUALA LUMPUR: A sorry-looking sheep with one leg bandaged created quite a stir in front of the Australian High Commission building in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng yesterday.
Leaning on a crutch and holding a placard that read Stop Sheep Abuse! Boycott Australian Wool, it caused many motorists to do a double take.
The creature was actually a representative of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) Asia-Pacific participating in the animal rights group’s protest against the mutilation and live export of sheep from Australia.
While I don’t necessarily support everything that PETA says, I do take yesterday’s protest as a good thing.
