We deserve to be there too (part II)

Two articles in relation to the Redang Island issue I blogged about earlier were published in The Star last Saturday. Fairly 'mild' and edited obviously, but atleast some of the messages got through. One section was by Ummi aka Miezegreat as the representative from ReefCheck. Good job!

NGOs: Better to teach people about Redang's beauty

PETALING JAYA: Several non-profit environmental organisations have spoken out against the Terengganu government’s plan to turn Pulau Redang into a high-end, exclusive getaway for the rich, saying educating the people about preservation was more vital.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) said that educating the people on the importance of preserving the diving haven’s natural beauty and adhering to a strict enforcement of guidelines would be a better move.

“MNS is of the opinion that there should be no further development on the island except to improve and review certain amenities and introduce the best practices for the island,” it said in a statement yesterday.

The body expressed concern about over-development which had taken a toll on the island, especially in waste management and the health of corals in certain areas of the island.

“Having informed visitors to the island is one of the ways we can protect Redang’s national heritage,” MNS said.

MNS communications head Andrew Sebastian said he was worried that the “carrying capacity” of Pulau Redang may had been exceeded.

If there were too many visitors on the island, the fresh water supply may be used up sooner, he said.

“Also, if raising prices is to control the number of people going there, MNS supports the move if the money is used to help smaller operators put in the appropriate systems to prevent pollution,” he said.

On Thursday, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said announced that the island would be turned into an exclusive getaway with rooms starting from US$500 (RM1,600) per night.

Ahmad said the move was to control the number of people who visited Pulau Redang in order to save the island’s rich marine life and prevent environmental destruction due to pollution and littering.

He added that only hotels rated five-star and above would be allowed to be built, adding that the state government would no longer approve the construction of chalet-type accommodations on the island. Existing chalets would also have to upgrade and raise their rates to match the high-end destination decision.

Reef Check Malaysia, another non-profit organisation that looks into coral conservation, said the Government should not waste money building new resorts but have stricter enforcement and policies instead.

Its Eco Action Programme manager Ummi Haslinda Mohd Rosli said a centralised sewage treatment should be built, adding that there should also be compost machines for solid waste to be shared by all resorts.

“These are some of the ways to improve the environment of the islands,” she said, adding: “We can also monitor the number of tourists visiting the island and impose strict fines on tourists and locals who fish at restricted areas. Enforcement officers need to be vigilant in punishing those who litter.”

Ummi Haslinda said it was just not enough to post signs to caution tourists and locals to not litter.

“It’s better to have a simple and improved eco-friendly environment than having islands swamped by big and expensive resorts that do not help conserve the marine environment,” she added.

Decision on Redang does not go down well with divers

Saturday April 10, 2010

PETALING JAYA: Divers gave the thumbs-down to the move to make Pulau Redang an exclusive getaway, saying that for half the RM1,599 a night accommodation proposed by the Terengganu government, a diver can now get a four-day trip including accommodation, food and diving activities.

They said budget travellers and divers would not be able go to the diving haven if it was made a high-end destination.

Diver Angeline Goh, 29, believed that the plan would not only turn divers away but also cause chalet operators to go bust.

“Diving operators look for cheap packages to take their clients. If it is expensive, they will move to other places like Tioman,” she said yesterday.

Another diver, Sean Phoon, 30, agreed that there was a need for conservation efforts but noted that hiking prices and making it an exclusive getaway was not the solution.

“The corals have deteriorated and there is a need to preserve the environment.

“You can preserve the environment by following Pulau Sipadan’s measures – limiting the number of people on the island. You cannot force existing chalets to hike up their prices and kill off these chalets by insisting on a ridiculous price tag,” he said.