Sipadan Island & Sabah Parks Need Your Support!

[northborneoguy]

To those fortunate divers that are able to visit & dive Sipadan via a Permit issued to the dive operators located in the Semporna region .....and you paying the fee for that permit....did you know that not one red cent of those paid permits goes towards the support of Sipadan Island's welfare and upkeep especially for Sabah Parks to maintain staff quarters, toilets and picnic area? Sabah Parks has desired to renovate its sewage treatment systems for the past few years but has had little or no funding to do this so that you, as a diver, can have fully functional toilets, showers, etc. on your dive break lunch served by the different operators. So where does perhaps some $RM 4,000 per day actually go? It goes direct to West Malaysia, the Prime Minister's special department. It's but another grab of Sabah's rich resources by the Malaysian Federal Government. ALL Permits fees should stay in Sabah! The same fees should be used to maintain the facilities at Sipadan!

 

[northborneoguy]

Doesn't anybody Care??? Or let it be? People! Stand Up and Fight for Sabah's Natural Resources for Sabahan people to have and benefit from..and NOT West Malaysia AND the West Malaysian controlled Fed Government - (aka single party dictatorship)

Why not BAN / Boycott all diving to Sipadan for one (1) month and let the Prime Minister's special dept. suffer!?

 

[jghflash]

I have to say I agree with the theory you are pushing, taxes/fees collected or levied for something specific should go to support that specific thing. In general, that should apply to most texes/fees in my opinion.......but what is it you want people to do? I'm not quite sure how to organize a boycott of diving at Sipadan and would that really get anyone in the government's attention anyway? It would definitely impact a LOT of folks that have no control over the situation. The resorts, the employees at the resorts, the DM's, the boat boys, etc., etc. Better yet, who should people write to in the West Malaysian government to ask them to rethink their application of the collected fees to better the resource that generates them? I think that could generate some support from the dive community? I happen to be sitting in the airport at Kuala Lumpur right now on the way back to Europe after diving Sipadan. Having gained an even greate appreciation for the incredible place that it is, I'l be happy to help if you can point me in a direction. Thanks for your passion!

 

[xariatay]

Erm, ya, no wonder the floor of the toilet was flooded when we were there... Petition the PM??

 

[The Wolf]

1) Get your facts correct. Sabah Parks does not fall under the juridstiction of the fed. govt. They are answerable only to the sabah govt.

2) If you have a personal issue with Sabah Parks, write to the chief minister's department instead of barking about issues that are irrelevant.

 

[The Wolf]

To those fortunate divers that are able to visit & dive Sipadan via a Permit issued to the dive operators located in the Semporna region .....and you paying the fee for that permit....did you know that not one red cent of those paid permits goes towards the support of Sipadan Island's welfare and upkeep especially for Sabah Parks to maintain staff quarters, toilets and picnic area? Sabah Parks has desired to renovate its sewage treatment systems for the past few years but has had little or no funding to do this so that you, as a diver, can have fully functional toilets, showers, etc. on your dive break lunch served by the different operators. So where does perhaps some $RM 4,000 per day actually go? It goes direct to West Malaysia, the Prime Minister's special department. It's but another grab of Sabah's rich resources by the Malaysian Federal Government. ALL Permits fees should stay in Sabah! The same fees should be used to maintain the facilities at Sipadan!

Oh yes, that's real smart. Also, while you're at it, put a couple of thousand workers at the resorts, boat operators, dive masters and instructors and why not also include the actual resorts themselves out of business while you're at it.

How old are you? 10?

 

[northborneoguy]

Yep, sure. Sabah Parks is a State agency....but operates on a Fed Gov controlled island = Sipadan. Irrelevant? Then read the couple comments here - other than yours. And I have no beef with Sabah Parks..if you read my English..it's a beef with the Fed Gov. Watch your beers before you comment guy.

---------- Post added February 8th, 2013 at 09:59 AM ----------

Your comment is from somewhere else guy and absolutely irrelevant to mine.... Sipadan was cleaned off of all private resorts after the Hague world court case was won by Malaysia... verses Indonesia on claims for both Litigan & Sipadan. (Philippines tried to butt in but was removed from the case as 'irrelevant.') The decision to remove all the resorts, with hundreds of staff, scores of boat operators, 10 to 12 independently operated diesel electric generators, bottomless septic bunkers/tanks, mounds of rotting garbage behind several operators back of the house areas...was a correct and justifiable move. Mahatir wanted the resorts to be removed in 30 days...but the State Gov. talked common sense to him.

Guess where "the next island" is.. in the works for removal of ALL non-approved TOL tourist facilities and private facilities over the water and relocation of private families (that are IC carrying Malaysian citizens) to constructed homes on shore or on another island (having proper waste treatment applications)??? Already outfits like Uncle Chang are looking for new on-island land. No more water village bungalows. Stand by guy.

Oh yeah....I am not 10 years of age. I am 8 years old going on 7. (I wish)

 

[Sabrina7]

Hi North Borneo Guy

i have no idea whether what you say about the Sipadan permit fees going to the Federal Government is true, but as a West Malaysian who travelled to Sabah for the first time this year, I was struck by how beautiful Sabah is & my first thought is what a waste the beach etc favilities are not better. E.g. The facilities at Mamutik & Sapi Islands ( more for other sea sports than diving) are appalling. There are no lockers. So many tourists.....we need to give a better impression.....