Dirty Pulau Payar: Kedah Sultan appalled

Dirty Pulau Payar: Kedah Sultan appalled


Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah walked for a kilometre along the shores of Pulau Payar to check on the beach. - Photo courtesy of Unit Media Kedah

The Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah wants the authorities to regulate the cleanliness of Pulau Payar during his visit to the tourist island today.

The ruler said he was appalled at the island’s state of maintenance and also told the authorities to review the current number of visitors allowed at a time and measures taken on the protection of corals.

“From my first impression upon stepping onto the island, it is dirty and unkempt. This may be due to there not being many workers (to look after its cleanliness) or other factors.

“According to the briefing (earlier), there are 800 visitors allowed (at a time). But during the off-peak season, the numbers are lower. However, this number (of visitors) should be regulated to ensure better management of its cleanliness,” he said.

The Sultan walked for a kilometre along the island’s shores to check on the beach.

He stopped at several places and commented on the improvements that could be made.

The Sultan also wanted the authorities to convene an immediate meeting on the situation and would personally look into its outcome.

~New Straits Times~

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

Pulau Payar will be closed for at least three weeks next year to rehabilitate the island and ensure that coral bleaching, which affected the island in 2010, will not recur.

Malaysia Marine Parks Department director-general Dr Sukarno Wagiman disclosed this during an island clean-up recently.

Sukarno said tourist arrivals on the island have returned to normal, at 200,000 since 2010, but he is concerned about the number of visitors, which is too big for the island to handle.

In the long run, he said, there will be environment degradation.

Sukarno said that Pulau Sipadan, one of the world's top diving site, allows only 120 visitors a day.

"It is fortunate that Langkawi Department Authority (Lada) has put aside RM94,000 this year and RM144,000 for next year to keep the island clean and free from pollution."

During the clean-up which involved Pantai Damai, Pantai Wangi, and the beach in front of the Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar, over 10 huge bags of rubbish were collected, and even an old television set.

More than 120 fishermen from Kedah and Labuan took part in the clean-up. They were joined by visitors to the island.

Sukarno said during the clean-up, the fishermen were also taught how to look after fish fry before they were released into the ocean. Similar programmes have also been organised for other marine parks. There were also programmes to clean up the seabed.

Sukarno said he would be discussing with the state government, local tourism businessmen, and agencies related to conservation to make sure Pulau Payar remains a pristine destination for tourists.



Fishermen and Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar staff participating in a programme to clean up the island. Pic by Rahmat Othman

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

2潜水区3岛屿尚开放‧吉芭雅岛仅局部封锁

2潜水区3岛屿尚开放‧吉芭雅岛仅局部封锁

吉打芭雅岛未封岛！

芭雅岛共有5个潜水区，只有3个因珊瑚礁白化问题较严重，而暂时关闭3个月。

吉打、登嘉楼、彭亨3州包括芭雅岛在內的12个潜水胜地，暂时关闭3个月的新闻见报后，许多民眾误以为芭雅岛已全面封岛，所以纷纷致电《星洲日报》查问。

针对此事，吉打州海洋公园局主任哈密受询时解释，芭雅岛只是一个统称，在这个位於大马半岛与浮罗交怡之间的海域，共有4座岛屿被宪报为海洋公园。

这4座岛屿，分別是面积最大的芭雅岛，以及伦武岛（Pulau Lembu）、（Pulau Kaca）、史甘当岛（Pulau Segantang）。

因此，他促请游客放心，芭雅岛並没有全面被封锁，还有2个潜水区继续开放，以及其他3座岛屿同样开放给游客前往浮潜或潜水。

哈密：岸上观看不许下水
游客仍可到沙滩活动

据瞭解，芭雅岛有3个原有潜水区，即直落旺宜、达迈沙滩及珊瑚公园，游客已禁止下水浮潜或潜水，也涵盖芭雅岛码头的游客区及左侧的沙滩。

哈密说，游客乘船抵达芭雅岛码头后，仍然可以前往沙滩，但只许在岸上观看活动如拍照等，游客不许下水；若要浮潜或浮水则须乘船到其他特定的开放地区。

业者：芭雅岛局部关闭潜水区
租船业绩影响不大

另一方面，经营租船及戴游客到芭雅岛的业者弗兹说，他相信芭雅岛局部关闭潜水区的事件，不会对其业绩造成太多影响，不过交怡区的业者受到的衝击比较大。

他说，租船业绩胥视游客预定，以前旺季每月平均有4趟或更多趟到芭雅岛，每趟约1400令吉，船只可载12个人，上午9点启程至下午3点回返。

不过，有时较人数较少时，则是以小船载送，视游客要求弹性处理。

“除了到潜水区，也有钓鱼爱好者租船，到距离芭雅岛海洋公园2海里以外的海域钓鱼。”

星洲日报／大北马‧2010.07.22
http://mykampung.sinchew.com.my/node/107450?tid=4