« siem reap travelogue | Main | sipadan update »
May 18, 2006
is this how you care for Sipadan?
after many territorial disputes between Indonesia and Malaysia (since as early as 1969), Sipadan Island was finally awarded to Malaysia in 2002 by the International Court of Justice. one would think that the victorious government would take better care of the island to demonstrate, and prove to the world that Malaysia is worthy of this ownership. and indeed, in 2004 the Sabah Government gave orders to vacate the island of its resorts and clear all man-made structures from Sipadan, a move that showed how serious they were in this islands' pristine preservation.
i was comforted to see this move, glad that the island's well being is not compromised in the name of money. i approved that the government did not treat this precious gem like a cash cow.
i have been there only twice, yet i am deeply attached to Sipadan. it is like no other. and when i say that it is like no other, i am not merely spewing adjectives. Sipadan is as close to heaven as I've ever gotten. thousands of others who have been there echo my words. even Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the father of scuba diving, raved of his awe for this tiny island's breathtaking beauty. a high endorsement, not that Sipadan needed any in the first place. nature in a pure state as found among her shores, is a moving unforgettable experience.
the news that i read about a barge accidentally scraping the reefs of Sipadan pierced my heart, and brought tears of rage. the area affected is not confirmed but reported by witnesses to be the size of several tennis courts. we are talking about corals - that grow at a delicate rate of one inch per year. wiped out in a careless instance, or in the words of the eyewitnesses themselves, "the barge's flat steel hull has wiped corals away like a titanic knife edge spreading butter on toast".
the barge was reported to have been around the island for three days before the mishap happened. ample time for authorities to react and prevent this environmental catastrophe.
spilling from the barge are tonnes of massive building materials and machinery including cranes and bulldozers. are these intended for the Sipadan? if yes, what was to be built? were the chalets cleared away in 2004, done in the name of conservation, carried out to make way for another structure?
explanations were given by the deputy CM of Sabah. a 5 million project for a central rest area and quarters for park rangers and security personnels was to be built in Sipadan. the contractors were not approved to use a barge, he says.
not enough measures taken, i say. the barge was hanging around Sipadan for three days - there is no excuse.
he went on further to say that Sipadan may be closed.
may be?! what about definately! where are talks of careful removal of the barge? that massive freight is resting on Sipadan's fragile ecosystem, the island might not be able to handle that weight. the barge has to be extracted immediately, and done under extreme care with all measures taken. that is what i want to hear from the government.
from the articles i read, i spot the turtle cavern among the sites that are affected. these are delicate caves, and cannot suffer weight whatsoever. it is so unique, that documentaries have been made solely on it - perhaps you have seen one in national geographic - about turtle tombs. i hope its chambers remain intact. but every day that passes with the barge lying upon the shores of Sipadan, the chances of it remaining intact diminishes.
what about black-listing the contractor. where are talks of ensuring severe action is taken upon all who are responsible in this disaster. what about scraping the plan of building whatever on the island. what about immediately forming a team of experts to study and analyse the extent of damage, short term and long term, on the island's underwater ecosystem and outlining what steps can be taken to nurture, and ensure of its ongoing health.
this is what i want to hear from my government.
first blow - the loss of the corals
second blow - the building of another structure on the island
third blow - that the government is considering closing the island, and not immediately sealing it off for damage control.
this is how the drop off point looks like now.
the fishes are without their garden.
read about first hand accounts here.
i am enraged with the seeming lack of care and control to the island's well being in the first place. i am immensely disappointed with the government's reactions. above all, i am inconsolable for the loss.
update: reactions from Malaysian Nature Society and several dive masters in Sipadan can be read here
posted by nyx at May 18, 2006 10:21 PM
Comments
Infested with greed. bleh.
Posted by: BawangMerah at May 19, 2006 12:42 AM
Just a bit of the common kiasu:
- everything also want,
- but take already just put aside (don't care)
Posted by: Robert at May 19, 2006 9:56 AM
been thinking about wot u asked me yday if sipadan could have been cared better if it was under the hands of indonesia/philipines
i think yes
malaysian governmants of conservation ya is about making as much money as they can. With the level of corruption here with no proper body to check anyone's activity, everyone has this notion that they could do nething and any possible mishaps could be covered up,shut with money.
i think it wud have fared better under the hands of phillies or indonesia , heck even in the hands of myanmar or laos
Posted by: -?- at May 19, 2006 10:14 AM
i was under the impression that Sipadan was cared for, or overlooked by an international body. i was mistaken.
right now i dont trust the government to handle the extraction of barge or restoration of the island. they have proved themselves too careless.
i think, irregardless of who owns sipadan, an international body should preside over the island's well-being. question is, what international body?
grrr, i know too little.
Posted by: nyx at May 19, 2006 10:53 AM
Yes. Is there any information on who undertakes the supervision of Sipadan? Who's fuckup was it?
Posted by: thisguy at May 19, 2006 11:22 AM
ALso, which division (specific) of the Sabah government and how can the public contact them? Aside from attributing blame what can concerned members of the public do?
Posted by: thisguy at May 19, 2006 11:24 AM
sad indeed.
and ive never even been to sipadan before. :(
Posted by: fake at May 19, 2006 11:43 AM
Very sad indeed, and what's worse is the fact that the government action stops at the CM being 'furious'. No follow up after that.
But at the end of the day, talk IS cheap. We will not be the first nor the last people to share our disgust and disappoinment over what has happened. And the reality remains : Sipadan is no better nor worse off without us.
My question is : what can we DO? I'm not trying to be cynical or sarcastic, I'm at my wits' end too. Fact is, there really isn't much that we CAN do.
Any ideas people?
Posted by: ss at May 29, 2006 2:23 AM
Post a comment
| Main |