Thursday November 15, 2007

Penang to restore and landscape sites in Batu Ferringhi

PENANG: Measures are under way to restore Penang’s beaches.

State Tourism Development Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said that there were plans to clean up and landscape the beaches in Batu Ferringhi.

“The cleanliness of our beaches has been neglected for more than 10 years and this is a challenge to the tourism sector,” Teng said yesterday.

"The cleanliness of our beaches has been neglected for more than 10 years and this is a challenge to the tourism sector" TENG CHANG YEOW

He added that the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) took water samples from beaches in Batu Ferringhi last month and determined numerous pollution sources including the sewage system, illegal restaurants and hawkers and car-washing activities.

Teng said the DID would soon be conducting similar water quality surveys at various spots on the island and around the state to improve the quality of beaches and seawater.

“It is important to identify the sources of pollution in order to upgrade our beaches and the quality of the water as tourism is the second largest source of income for Penang.

“We need a change of strategy where we clean up the beaches first before trying to sell Penang as a holiday resort destination to tourists,” he said.

Teng said the Government would allocate more than RM10mil to rectify the beach pollution problem, including constructing a drainage system in Batu Ferringhi that will be connected to the central system.

It is expected to be completed at the end of 2008 or early 2009.

More News