Barge beached in Sipadan
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I hope the 
who was planning on building the luxury hi-rise resort (or whatever it is going to be) was under the barge at the time. The stupidity and greed of some people never ceases to amaze me.
who was planning on building the luxury hi-rise resort (or whatever it is going to be) was under the barge at the time. The stupidity and greed of some people never ceases to amaze me.
Batfish
Contributor
Hang on before we say "Sipadan Ruined".... Just exactly how large an area was affected? Our guy in Malaysia just asked SMART and they didn't know about it. Sounds bloody bad, but a single boat cannot destroy the entire reef...
And what the hell is a barge full of building materials doing at Sipadan?
And what the hell is a barge full of building materials doing at Sipadan?
Batfish
Contributor
No, the report does not say that. It says:
An enormous steel barge carrying thousands of tonnes of coarse gravel, sand, steel tubes, iron mesh, prime movers, a large bulldozer and a gigantic crane which had incredibly been allowed to anchor right in front of Sipadan's legendary dropoff before unloading its cargo on the supposedly protected island was pushed against the reef by wind, ending up beached on the island like some monstrous whale. In the process of being beached, the barge scraped clean thousands of years of nature's delicate work between the old pier and Barracuda Point. The barge's flat steel hull wiped corals away like a giant knife slicing through butter, leaving in its wake hundreds of square metres of unnaturally flat limestone, and a veritable wall of coral and debris piled up against the beach.
Did not dump anything but has apparently wrecked an area of reef. We need to know more details.
Damn good question. Let's speculate..... Bridge to Semporna? A new house for Mahathir? Toilet system for the turtles? 100 meter observation tower for the rangers? China has finally decided to claim all islands in their South Sea?Batfish:
dive_lover88
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***!!! gosh...I'm hopping mad!! Sure,they can go and destroy the envrionment for their gains now and let the future generations suffer...good long term planning(scarsm here)...
:furious: I hope this makes the news headlines,and see how they answer to the world,diving industry and the environmental activists...
Darren
:furious: I hope this makes the news headlines,and see how they answer to the world,diving industry and the environmental activists...Darren
Batfish
Contributor
Article below from someone who was there. Says the area of damage is "at least the size of a couple of tennis courts". Sipadan has a LOT of reef and let's be honest, it is not the best reef in the world anyway. What is more worrying to me actually, is the presence of a barge full of building materials, when I thought it had been agreed that there would be NO building on Sipadan. Its only a couple of years ago that all resorts were ordered to close or move. What is going on?
article and photos
article and photos
Batfish
Contributor
Well, this has happened next to the Drop Off, a 600m wall. The shallow corals there I do not recall as being the highlight of the dive. I am sure the wall is still great, and yes, Sipadan has some 15 dive sites all around the fringing reefs of the island. I do not think this incident will affect the diving quality.
What IS worrying? The idea of someone building a big concrete resort there, that IS worrying....
What IS worrying? The idea of someone building a big concrete resort there, that IS worrying....
I just love the irony, hypocrisy and the change in plans:
Order to vacate Sipadan (http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=26736)
14 May, 2004
Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman confirmed Thursday that the five dive companies operating on the popular destination of Sipadan have been told to remove all man-made structures on the island by the end of this year.
This is in compliance to notices issued by the National Security Division. Musa said the directive was based on the recommendation by a special Federal-State committee co-chaired by the Chief Secretary and State Secretary. It was aimed at safeguarding Sipadan's pristine environment.
"We have asked the operators to vacate and build their chalets or resorts at nearby islands and leave Sipadan as it is. People can only visit the island for day trips,” he said. "I think this is more towards protecting the environment in Sipadan.”
Musa, who is also State Security Committee Chairman, believed the firms concerned had been given ample time to look for alternatives.
"(But) I'll leave it to the committee, which is a joint Federal-State committee,” he said when asked on appeals by the operators, some of whom reportedly described it as unexpected and harsh.
Sipadan shot to world fame when it was recognised by world renowned oceanographer, late Jaques Costeau, as one of the top 10 diving spots in the world.
It was also the scene of an infamous transborder kidnap involving the Philippine-based Abu Sayyaf guerillas where more than 20 foreigners and locals were taken hostage.
Currently the Government has limited the number of people coming into the island daily to just 80 or 16 per firm.
When contacted, State Secretary Datuk K.Y Mustafa said all the dive operators had been made aware of the decision since last year. "We are not asking them to cease operations but only to dismantle their chalets from the island.
"The island cannot afford to have too many people staying overnight as we don"t want solid waste harming the surroundings.
"They can operate from Semporna or nearby islands as long as they don’t let the tourists stay overnight on Sipadan," he said.
Mustafa said the decision was based on the need to protect the surroundings of the island, including its environmental feature. He added the Federal Government had also consented to the decision.
The move would ensure that the island, a popular spot for turtles to lay eggs and a transit point for migratory birds, is totally protected.
"As a matter of fact, the physical shape of the island is unique as it stands only on one trunk and looks fragile. It is comparatively small in comparison to other Islands.
"If we don't protect this heritage, then we would lose Sipadan as the best spot for diving in the world."
Asked about any restrictions on operating hours, Mustafa replied that the time limit for diving had yet to be determined. However, it was advisable for the tour operators to do only daytime diving. Night diving would need special permission and a special guide.
It was learnt that all Sipadan dive operators will meet to discuss the Government’s directive. According to a source, the operators are now in a fix on how to continue their diving business on the island.
"The operators feel the operating from outside the island is not viable because it would take them to ferry the tourists about three to four hours to reach Sipadan during bad weather. Normally on fine weather, it only takes between 30 minutes and an hour to reach there.
"They could not accept the decision if the Government's reason in imposing the move is to preserve the environment as illegal fishing and fish bombing will take place when the island is unoccupied," the source said.
Giving an example, he said it is an open secret that fish bombing and illegal fishing in places like Pulau Tiga or Pulau Mantanani is rampant because nobody visits or even stays on the two islands and enforcement is lackadaisacal.
Unlike in Mabul, he said Sipadan faced a serious problem of fish bombing but when some resorts were built, these illegal activity ceased.
Order to vacate Sipadan (http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=26736)
14 May, 2004
Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman confirmed Thursday that the five dive companies operating on the popular destination of Sipadan have been told to remove all man-made structures on the island by the end of this year.
This is in compliance to notices issued by the National Security Division. Musa said the directive was based on the recommendation by a special Federal-State committee co-chaired by the Chief Secretary and State Secretary. It was aimed at safeguarding Sipadan's pristine environment.
"We have asked the operators to vacate and build their chalets or resorts at nearby islands and leave Sipadan as it is. People can only visit the island for day trips,” he said. "I think this is more towards protecting the environment in Sipadan.”
Musa, who is also State Security Committee Chairman, believed the firms concerned had been given ample time to look for alternatives.
"(But) I'll leave it to the committee, which is a joint Federal-State committee,” he said when asked on appeals by the operators, some of whom reportedly described it as unexpected and harsh.
Sipadan shot to world fame when it was recognised by world renowned oceanographer, late Jaques Costeau, as one of the top 10 diving spots in the world.
It was also the scene of an infamous transborder kidnap involving the Philippine-based Abu Sayyaf guerillas where more than 20 foreigners and locals were taken hostage.
Currently the Government has limited the number of people coming into the island daily to just 80 or 16 per firm.
When contacted, State Secretary Datuk K.Y Mustafa said all the dive operators had been made aware of the decision since last year. "We are not asking them to cease operations but only to dismantle their chalets from the island.
"The island cannot afford to have too many people staying overnight as we don"t want solid waste harming the surroundings.
"They can operate from Semporna or nearby islands as long as they don’t let the tourists stay overnight on Sipadan," he said.
Mustafa said the decision was based on the need to protect the surroundings of the island, including its environmental feature. He added the Federal Government had also consented to the decision.
The move would ensure that the island, a popular spot for turtles to lay eggs and a transit point for migratory birds, is totally protected.
"As a matter of fact, the physical shape of the island is unique as it stands only on one trunk and looks fragile. It is comparatively small in comparison to other Islands.
"If we don't protect this heritage, then we would lose Sipadan as the best spot for diving in the world."
Asked about any restrictions on operating hours, Mustafa replied that the time limit for diving had yet to be determined. However, it was advisable for the tour operators to do only daytime diving. Night diving would need special permission and a special guide.
It was learnt that all Sipadan dive operators will meet to discuss the Government’s directive. According to a source, the operators are now in a fix on how to continue their diving business on the island.
"The operators feel the operating from outside the island is not viable because it would take them to ferry the tourists about three to four hours to reach Sipadan during bad weather. Normally on fine weather, it only takes between 30 minutes and an hour to reach there.
"They could not accept the decision if the Government's reason in imposing the move is to preserve the environment as illegal fishing and fish bombing will take place when the island is unoccupied," the source said.
Giving an example, he said it is an open secret that fish bombing and illegal fishing in places like Pulau Tiga or Pulau Mantanani is rampant because nobody visits or even stays on the two islands and enforcement is lackadaisacal.
Unlike in Mabul, he said Sipadan faced a serious problem of fish bombing but when some resorts were built, these illegal activity ceased.
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