Sabah islands suffer from neglect, security gaps
Joe FernandezPublished: Jun 6, 2009 4:39 AM | Updated: Jun 6, 2009 10:50 AM
An Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) sea expedition has discovered minimal or no government presence, security gaps and disturbing signs of neglect in the numerous islands dotting Sabah waters.
An Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) sea expedition has discovered minimal or no government presence, security gaps and disturbing signs of neglect in the numerous islands dotting Sabah waters.
Gulisan Island, the worst example off Sandakan in the Turtle Islands, faces the additional threat of disappearing into the sea in the next 10 years.
Many of the islands were less than a square kilometer and remain unnamed. Others had strange names like Bush, Patanunam, Pagassan, Balak-Nalak, Modom, Panukaran, Latoan, Batawan, Buwaning, Kukuban and Straggler, among others.
These are names given by local inhabitants during the era of the Sulu sultanate and not indicated by the government in any map.
“Unless the government takes immediate action to preserve and maintain these beautiful islands, we will not see many of them in the years to come,” said UMS Professor Madya Dr Ismail Ali. “These islands have the potential to become tourist attractions.”
“The waters from east to west were also littered with dead sea turtles trapped in fishing nets left overnight in the waters.”
Ismail Ali led an 18-day expedition around the islands in a traditional 35’ x 9’ Bajau boat christened UMS-Perangkang. The expedition from Semporna to Sipitang is part of an ongoing research project being undertaken by UMS’ Borneo Marine Research Institute.
The study covered marine life, tourist facilities and security aspects and traced the sea journeys taken by the Bajau Laut off Semporna.
These people are sometimes known as the sea gypsies who owe no allegiance to any particular nation.
They played a crucial role in the era of the Sulu sultanate which eventually managed to extend its sway over the northern and eastern stretches of Sabah.
“The Parangkang brought back the old stories of the strength of the community from 500 years ago,” said UMS vice-chancellor Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon.
“Although their boats were wooden, like the Parangkang, they could still weather the long sea journeys on voyages of discovery and new opportunities.”
Survival rate of sea turtles low
Sea turtles in Kudat, according to the expedition’s findings, are on the verge of extinction.
It has been estimated that the survival rate is only five out of every 1,000 turtles that make for the sea. Predators aside, the finger of blame is being pointed at human activities.
Ismail hopes to develop a system for the turtles whereby they can be kept in cages until their shells harden enough for them to be released safely into the sea.
This is expected to increase the survival rate of the sea turtles and bring them back from the brink of extinction in Kudat waters.
The six members of the expedition team are still documenting the data collected on other marine life, in particular those under various degrees of threats.
The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park, a 10-minute boat ride from Kota Kinabalu, has been estimated in the past to have 600 species of fish on the basis of the Coral Fish Diversity Index.
As indicators, other researchers in the recent past had noted the absence of the parrot fish, butterfly fish down by a third, declining numbers of the angel fish, a high density of scorpion fish, 12 species of garoupa, an absence of sharks - which is not a good sign as they are scavengers which keep the eco-system healthy - and signs of coral destruction.
Chalets too costly for locals
Elsewhere, expedition members were also disappointed with the difference in treatment meted out by providers of services and facilities on some of the islands.
Apparently, they were geared towards foreign tourists only and not locals who generally felt unwelcome. Steep prices were another complaint.
“Some of the chalets on the islands cost RM500 per person per night, which is far too expensive for anyone, even foreigners who may not all be that affluent,” said Ismail.
“It’s not that the locals who visit the islands can’t afford such prices. Many of them have that kind of money. But why should they pay such prices for just one person. Where’s the value for their ringgit?”
Ismail cited an incident on one island where the expedition members were made to feel unwelcome while tourists got the royal treatment much to the embarrassment of the latter themselves.
“Obviously, these operators think that our presence would not bring any income for them unlike the tourists,” said Ismai.
“The state Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry should set a price guideline for these islands. Ordinary Malaysians should be able to visit these islands too and enjoy their stay.”
Sipadan, Malaysia’s only oceanic island and a world-renowned dive spot, came in for some praise from expedition members not only for the reasonable prices but also for treating everyone, locals and foreigners, alike.
“The homestay on the island was only RM 70 per person per night which is very reasonable,” said Ismail.
Expedition members are particularly perplexed that Sipadan can afford to charge low prices for its facilities and services especially when the numbers that can visit the island at any one time is limited by the state government.
Hotspots for smuggling activities
Security gaps were also evident during the expedition.
Of particular concern are the waters off Pulau Tambisan near Pulau Tawi-Tawi, Pulau Silingan and Bakungan Kecil near Sandakan and Pulau Cagayan in uncharted waters and Taganak.
Another gap was Pulau Banggi near Kudat and not far from Palawan in the Philippines. In Tawau waters, Pulau Sebatik was noted as a weak spot.
Most of these islands are hotspots for smuggling activities, robberies at sea in the past, fish bombing and a backdoor route for the influx of illegal immigrants who slip in and out of Sabah.
They are also along the legitimate barter trade route and the ferries which criss-cross the waters between Sabah, Zamboanga in the southern Philippines and Nunukan in Indonesia.
However, overall the expedition members found the security situation to be “under control considering the vastness of the sea area that the marine police, navy, the special operations forces and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency had to cover”.
Some of the expedition’s findings may be particularly disturbing to the marine tourism trade in Sabah which is set to take off.
Playground for mega yachts
The state has begun to attract mega yachts from around the world. A gathering of the worlds’ super yachts is scheduled to take place in Sabah next year, according to Sabah Tourism Board chairman Tengku Zainal Adlin.
The Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu and the Kudat Riviera have been hailed as world class marinas.
Generally, these yachts take in the waters off Pulau Tiga, the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park, Pulau Mantani, the tip of Borneo, westwards to Laying-Layang, and eastwards to Pulau Lankayan and the stunning islands off Semporna including Mabul and Sipadan.
“The awareness that this segment of the tourism industry creates for Sabah cannot be underestimated,” said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun.
“It has beneficial knock-on effects not only for tourism players in Sabah but other industries and the economy as a whole. This is a magical sector of tourism in Sabah.”
Gulisan Island, the worst example off Sandakan in the Turtle Islands, faces the additional threat of disappearing into the sea in the next 10 years. Many of the islands were less than a square kilometer and remain unnamed. Others had strange names like Bush, Patanunam, Pagassan, Balak-Nalak, Modom, Panukaran, Latoan, Batawan, Buwaning, Kukuban and Straggler, among others.
These are names given by local inhabitants during the era of the Sulu sultanate and not indicated by the government in any map.
“Unless the government takes immediate action to preserve and maintain these beautiful islands, we will not see many of them in the years to come,” said UMS Professor Madya Dr Ismail Ali. “These islands have the potential to become tourist attractions.”
“The waters from east to west were also littered with dead sea turtles trapped in fishing nets left overnight in the waters.” Ismail Ali led an 18-day expedition around the islands in a traditional 35’ x 9’ Bajau boat christened UMS-Perangkang. The expedition from Semporna to Sipitang is part of an ongoing research project being undertaken by UMS’ Borneo Marine Research Institute.
The study covered marine life, tourist facilities and security aspects and traced the sea journeys taken by the Bajau Laut off Semporna.
These people are sometimes known as the sea gypsies who owe no allegiance to any particular nation.
They played a crucial role in the era of the Sulu sultanate which eventually managed to extend its sway over the northern and eastern stretches of Sabah. “The Parangkang brought back the old stories of the strength of the community from 500 years ago,” said UMS vice-chancellor Dr Kamaruzaman Ampon.
“Although their boats were wooden, like the Parangkang, they could still weather the long sea journeys on voyages of discovery and new opportunities.”
Survival rate of sea turtles low
Sea turtles in Kudat, according to the expedition’s findings, are on the verge of extinction.
It has been estimated that the survival rate is only five out of every 1,000 turtles that make for the sea. Predators aside, the finger of blame is being pointed at human activities.
Ismail hopes to develop a system for the turtles whereby they can be kept in cages until their shells harden enough for them to be released safely into the sea.This is expected to increase the survival rate of the sea turtles and bring them back from the brink of extinction in Kudat waters.
The six members of the expedition team are still documenting the data collected on other marine life, in particular those under various degrees of threats.
The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park, a 10-minute boat ride from Kota Kinabalu, has been estimated in the past to have 600 species of fish on the basis of the Coral Fish Diversity Index.
As indicators, other researchers in the recent past had noted the absence of the parrot fish, butterfly fish down by a third, declining numbers of the angel fish, a high density of scorpion fish, 12 species of garoupa, an absence of sharks - which is not a good sign as they are scavengers which keep the eco-system healthy - and signs of coral destruction.
Chalets too costly for locals
Elsewhere, expedition members were also disappointed with the difference in treatment meted out by providers of services and facilities on some of the islands.
Apparently, they were geared towards foreign tourists only and not locals who generally felt unwelcome. Steep prices were another complaint. “Some of the chalets on the islands cost RM500 per person per night, which is far too expensive for anyone, even foreigners who may not all be that affluent,” said Ismail.
“It’s not that the locals who visit the islands can’t afford such prices. Many of them have that kind of money. But why should they pay such prices for just one person. Where’s the value for their ringgit?”
Ismail cited an incident on one island where the expedition members were made to feel unwelcome while tourists got the royal treatment much to the embarrassment of the latter themselves.“Obviously, these operators think that our presence would not bring any income for them unlike the tourists,” said Ismai.
“The state Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry should set a price guideline for these islands. Ordinary Malaysians should be able to visit these islands too and enjoy their stay.”
Sipadan, Malaysia’s only oceanic island and a world-renowned dive spot, came in for some praise from expedition members not only for the reasonable prices but also for treating everyone, locals and foreigners, alike.“The homestay on the island was only RM 70 per person per night which is very reasonable,” said Ismail.
Expedition members are particularly perplexed that Sipadan can afford to charge low prices for its facilities and services especially when the numbers that can visit the island at any one time is limited by the state government.
Hotspots for smuggling activities
Security gaps were also evident during the expedition.
Of particular concern are the waters off Pulau Tambisan near Pulau Tawi-Tawi, Pulau Silingan and Bakungan Kecil near Sandakan and Pulau Cagayan in uncharted waters and Taganak.
Another gap was Pulau Banggi near Kudat and not far from Palawan in the Philippines. In Tawau waters, Pulau Sebatik was noted as a weak spot. Most of these islands are hotspots for smuggling activities, robberies at sea in the past, fish bombing and a backdoor route for the influx of illegal immigrants who slip in and out of Sabah.
They are also along the legitimate barter trade route and the ferries which criss-cross the waters between Sabah, Zamboanga in the southern Philippines and Nunukan in Indonesia.
However, overall the expedition members found the security situation to be “under control considering the vastness of the sea area that the marine police, navy, the special operations forces and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency had to cover”. Some of the expedition’s findings may be particularly disturbing to the marine tourism trade in Sabah which is set to take off.
Playground for mega yachts
The state has begun to attract mega yachts from around the world. A gathering of the worlds’ super yachts is scheduled to take place in Sabah next year, according to Sabah Tourism Board chairman Tengku Zainal Adlin.
The Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu and the Kudat Riviera have been hailed as world class marinas.
Generally, these yachts take in the waters off Pulau Tiga, the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park, Pulau Mantani, the tip of Borneo, westwards to Laying-Layang, and eastwards to Pulau Lankayan and the stunning islands off Semporna including Mabul and Sipadan. “The awareness that this segment of the tourism industry creates for Sabah cannot be underestimated,” said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun.
“It has beneficial knock-on effects not only for tourism players in Sabah but other industries and the economy as a whole. This is a magical sector of tourism in Sabah.”
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