Wednesday November 21, 2007
Save mangroves in Sungai Pulai
WE are writing to express our shock and disappointment of a report ‘PTP gets green light for terminal project’ (The Star, Nov 13).
This means that 2,255ha of pristine mangrove forest in Sungai Pulai, which can be approximated to 913 soccer fields – will disappear permanently from the global map.
Clearly, no action was taken after the Johor Mentri Besar had ordered for a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) to be carried out in August 2007.
It thus seems that the developer and government officials are taking the environmental cause less seriously, despite the area’s unique biodiversity by having the largest sea grass bed and the densest seahorse and dugong population in the country.
Save Our Seahorses (SOS) has expressed strong disagreement with the project taking over extensive tracts of mangroves. The clearing of mangroves, which serve as a first buffer, will cause run-off and in turn smother sea grass communities and cloud out the water. Surely, there will be more adverse impact on the environment when the proposed petrochemical and maritime industries start operating.
The Sungai Pulai mangrove area is crucial in preventing erosions and providing protection from strong winds and waves to 11,000 people living in 38 villages.
For their livelihood, it used to be home to at least 111 fish species and other inhabitants like prawns. For every 0.4ha of mangrove area destroyed, sea products will be reduced by 304kg.
Although the project proponent had recently declared that they will help to gazette Pulau Merambong and adopt the seahorses and dugongs, and made some donations to the local NGOs, we feel that if they are really concerned about the environment, they should first do the DEIA, and not pay lip service to boost their image in the sudden wake of the need to attract investors.
By the time Pulau Merambong Park is ready, most living things would have probably perished amid the pollutants discharged by the petrochemical and heavy industries located upper stream.
Therefore, there is a need for decision makers to halt any green light for developers to destroy our mangroves. Our decision makers must take a strong stand and transcend above political influence.
THING SIEW SHUEN,
Secretary,
Save Our Seahorses (SOS) Action Committee.
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