By Olivia Miwil - June 27, 2021 @ 5:38pm
SEMPORNA: Environmentalists have urged the Sabah government to launch a full investigation into the destruction of corals off Mabul island.
Paradise One, the island's world-famous diving site, was recently damaged by a barge carrying heavy building material to build the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) forward operating base on the island.
Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA) president Alexander Yee said he has contacted several dive operators on Mabul Island to have a better understanding of the situation.
"We were made to understand that the barge was heading to Mabul for the construction of a security post to safeguard the islanders and divers around the vicinity.
"However, the barge used was too large to land on the island without destroying the coral beneath it.
"It is surprising that with strict rules put in place, a contractor, especially one engaged by our government, can enter an environmentally-sensitive area such as Mabul Island and cause such damage," said Yee in a statement.
Yee was referring to the Environment Protection (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2005, where the submission of Proposal of Mitigation Measures (PMM) and EIA are mandatory requirements for shoreline development in Sabah under the First and Second Schedules of the Order.
The prescribed First Schedule, Item 7 states: Any other activities which may damage or have an adverse impact on the quality of environment Para (i) Construction of buildings for public purposes within 200 meters from the high-water mark of the coastal area.
Yee said for any shoreline development, an environmental consultant registered with the Environment Protection Department (EPD) has to first conduct an EIA report for submission to, and approval by the EPD Sabah prior to project commencement.
"This is an important technique for ensuring that the likely impacts of the shoreline development activities on the environment are fully understood and taken into account, before any development is allowed to commence" he said.
He urged the relevant authorities to conduct their investigations and ensure that the contractor, Hartamas Borneo Sdn Bhd, is taken to task should there be any evidence of recklessness on its part.
Yee had proposed that the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry reinstate SEPA's involvement in the Environment Protection Department.
In the past, SEPA was one of the EIA review panel members within the EPD, tasked with providing the department with impartial feedback from the public.
SEPA, registered in 1983, is a body focusing on promoting environmental awareness, education and conservation among the people in Sabah.
Yesterday, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin had said it was difficult to take legal action against the perpetrators.
Before the Mabul incident on Friday, Sabah had experienced similar damages to its protected dive sites in Sipadan in 2006 and in Kudat in 2019.
However, the Mabul site is not located and protected under Sabah Parks nor the Wildlife Department.
It is understood that the Sabah Fisheries Department is also unable to act as there is no provision under the Fisheries Act 1985 to handle damaged corals outside of protected areas.
For the Kudat incident, the Sabah government managed to get a compensation of RM300,000 from the vessel owner, Syarikat Rimbaru Sdn Bhd, which damaged 3,106.71 square metres of corals.
The money was used for restoration in September last year using 53 reef balls off Kalampunian waters in Kudat.
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