The Dying Reefs Of Malaysia

By Sakini Mohd Said The country is facing challenges in protecting and conserving coral reefs. This is the first of three series that explores the issue. KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- When Gress Anthony found that her employer had assigned her to a task in Pulau Tinggi, Johor, she was determined to avoid all water activities. The 31-year-old was still traumatised from the time she went white water rafting in the Padas River of Sabah (east Malaysian state) and nearly drowned. It all changed the moment she set her eyes on the marine park at Pulau Tinggi. The clear aquamarine water revealed the aquatic world underneath, including the beautiful corals that live there. The weariness from the five-hour journey from Kuala Lumpur to the island seemed to dissipate at the sight of it. More importantly, it cured her fear of open water. “The gorgeous view made me realise that it would be a shame to listen to my fears and miss out on the opportunity to explore the beauty of the marine life here,” she said to Bernama. RECOGNISED Pulau Tinggi is one of the 13 islands gazetted as the Johor Marine Park. It is known for the beauty of its colourful corals and diverse marine life. However, it is only one of the many islands in Malaysia with such an impressive marine ecosystem. Today, 42 islands have been awarded the marine park status. Among them are Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang and Pulau Payar. As of 2012, more than 500 species of corals from that ever recorded in the world can be found in the country. This makes Malaysia the country with the highest marine biodiversity in the region. CONCERN Therefore, it is unsurprising that nearly half a million tourists visit Malaysia’s marine parks every year. However, marine environmentalists have raised their concern that the high tourist arrivals might affect the conservation and preservation of coral reefs in the 4,006-sqkm marine park. They fear that tourist activities may physically damage or degrade reefs and threaten its survival. In addition to that, the rapid development of coastal zones, the unsystematic sewage management system and the lack of appreciation of some tour operators towards the environment also challenges the survival of rare and beautiful coral reefs. It is sad to see that all of thes takes place in a marine park; an area that has been marked as a marine sanctuary, aimed at protecting and conserving aquatic life, said Alvin J.C, the programme manager of Reef Check Malaysia. DEVELOPMENT "Marine parks are important and popular tourism products. When tourist numbers increase, the probability of coral reefs getting damaged also increases. It is best to limit tourist arrivals,” he said. However, there are no regulations at the moment to limit the number of tourists into a marine park. There are other rules, though, governing tourists who visit marine parks. They are prohibited, among others, to step on or collect corals, to litter, feed the fish, engage in fishing activities and collect any flora or fauna from the marine parks. However, not all tourists who come in are wary of the dos and don’ts and may unwittingly contribute to the destruction of coral reefs. NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Reef Check Malaysia marine biologist Kee Alfian said that coral reefs and aquatic life are often threatened with damage caused by activities like diving and snorkeling. "While we acknowledge that there are also natural threats such as the increasing temperature and acidity of seawater, it cannot be compared with the human threat, which occurs often, consistently and within a short period. “We have to take control of this because we can. Natural threats are something that is harder to prevent,” he said. Irresponsible tour operators have regularly brought in large numbers of tourists into the water for snorkeling activities, with less than five people allocated to handle the crowd. “These tourists are given snorkeling equipment and then left there without further explanation. They may be wearing life jackets, but not all of them know how to float properly, thus many of them stand and trample on the corals. “They will think that all they are stepping on are stones when in reality they are standing on living organisms and may have killed them,” he said. This is an ecological disaster that should be taken seriously as coral reefs take up hundreds of years to form, but can be killed in mere seconds. STUDY Their concerns were based on several studies by Reef Check Malaysia that proves the rapid development of tourism in the area as a threat to the survival of coral reefs. Reef Check is the world’s largest international coral reef monitoring programme involving volunteer recreational divers and marine scientists. Corals have a way of surviving against natural threats. Some species may even be able to adapt to warmer oceans. However, the constant threat and damage caused by human beings reduces its chances of survival and ability to adapt to climate change. For example, a study last year found that the poor management of the sewage pollution has resulted in it being discharged into coastal waters. The resulting nutrient enrichment in the waters promotes the growth of seaweed while threatening the survivability of corals. “The sewage system is there but when it is not maintained, the waste would flow into the ocean, polluting it. This ultimately leads to the overgrowth of seaweed, which competes with the corals for space and light and eventually kills the latter,” he explained. Alvin lamented that there were also tour operators who emptied septic tanks into the oceans during the monsoon season. “However, this year Indah Water Konsortium came for the first time to two villages in Pulau Tioman to help address the sewage water issue. IMPORTANT Great attention must be paid to the survival of coral reefs as they play a major role in the survival of marine life as well as humans. This is because it is the breeding area and nursery for most of marine life, with 25 percent of the country’s seafood source coming from it. “Studies show that only 48.11 percent (as of 2014) live coral reefs are left in Malaysian waters. If they are not protected, the figure would go down. “All development should be regulated and done sustainably. There should be stricter regulations and enforcment.” -- BERNAMA