In Malaysia some people took pride in calling themselves environmentalists and object to anything and everything they perceived can cause grievous hurt to mother earth.Some joined environmental organisation because it has become fashionable to do so.Than there are those who are mad enough to risk their lives to pursue their ideals.
The extreme end of the spectrum are those highly glorified kamikaze environmental warriors of Green Peace.If you have nothing better to do and think mother earth is going to die soon because of human folly than you can join the Green Peace and chase Japanese whaling ships all over the world's oceans.These are the true warriors of mother earth.
If you are a lazy environmentalist like me than you can just sit on your arse and do nothing.If you are lazy,ignorant and with some degree of stupidity and need some publicity to promote yourself than go to your nearest news hungry reporter and spill your guts out on how some destructive force is out to kill our dear beloved mother earth without first checking your facts.
If you are really stupid and ignorant, just stay that way and you wouldn't become a prick and used by someone to make noise and object to any project under the guise of protecting the environment.
When come to the environment Sabahans are probably the most conscious among all Malaysians but they are also the most confused.
For the past two years the question still lingers whether Sabah should have a coal-fired power station or not.In spite of the fact that the state suffers frequent power breakdown due to acute shortage of power generation there were still strong objections from environmentalists and majority of the population when the government first announced the project to be sited near Lahad Datu.The location has now been moved to Sandakan and the people stood their ground and insisted not to have it.They would rather live in darkness than face the prospect of living in a polluted environment.
Gone were the days when coal were mined in Newcastle and we often see the ugly faces of coalminers in newspapers and magazines that scares the shit out of us how shitty coal was.Today's technology had made using coal more friendly to the environment.It may not be 100% pollution free but are much better than 50-60 years ago.It is also an alternative source of cheaper fuel for power generation if other sources are not available or too expensive.
A new voice of disapproval against another project has risen, more out of commercial consideration, rather than care of the environment.This time it is the proposed resort development on waters of Mabul Island.
The President of SEPA(Sabah Environment Protection Association) Wong Tack asked if the resort development was necessary because one could easily see fishes swimming in the clear Mabul waters.He went to say "How can approval be given to such a massive project before the terms of the EIA are known?”
Obviously, Mr Wong had been used by existing resort operators to voice their unhappiness under the pretext of caring for the environment.It has been proven that where there are proper environmental friendly resort built over waters the reef takes on a new dimension under natural regeneration because all resort operators won't allow any fishing or fish bombing anywhere near the resorts.
My Wong should visit Lankayan,Kapalai,Sipadan Water Village and see for himself that he was wrong.There are more marine live now than before those resorts were built. The coral have grown back attracting more marine creatures.If he can't afford to visit those islands than he can go to Gayana on Gaya Island which probably is the nearest to him if he lives in Kota Kinabalu.
If you have visited Mabul ten years ago you be utterly shocked to see that every bit of coral surrounding the island are dead and broken due to constant fish bombing.Fish bombing are still being carried out in outlaying reefs.The fishes swimming in the waters of Mabul that Mr Wong saw are the results of the many resorts on the island's waters.
Kapalai which was completely built over a reef isolated from the main land is another example of a properly planned resort with no discharge of sewers into the sea.The sewers go to a treatment plant on the resort itself.The waste water are used to water plants in the resort.The reefs are teeming with all kind of marine creatures.
Well, the next time you feel you need to go and object to something and before you embarrass yourself go and do your homework first and make sure people don't use you to further their own business and political agenda.
The people of Mabul are quite happy to welcome more development on the island that can provide more jobs for them and their children.
Guess which politician stir up the villagers of Mabul with his crap story of the people losing their land to outsiders? Read the story here.
