Manjung sand mining will destroy turtle breeding spots - NGOs

Environmental groups have raised concerns over the potential destruction of green sea turtle landing spots at the beach area of the Segari Melintang permanent forest reserve in Manjung, Perak.

This was after the state government degazetted a large portion of the forest reserve last year - including some 287ha of a coastal hill forest - to allegedly make way for sand quarries.

Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (Kuasa) secretary Noor Ismady Ahmad Radzuan told a press conference this morning that they fear the project would wipe out landing spots and cause the endangered species to lose their nesting grounds.

He said there are usually 10-20 turtle nesting grounds every year along the coast between Tanjung Baru (north of Segari Melintang) and Tanjung Hantu (south of Segari Melintang), which faces the Strait of Malacca.

“However, based on information SAM (Sahabat Alam Malaysia) gathered so far from our friends in the Fisheries Department and licensed egg collectors, there were only around five nesting grounds found between January and September.

“There used to be three nesting grounds in Pasir Pandak and two in Teluk Cina. There were also landing spots at Pantai Yat-Yat.

“But now, the turtles no longer land in Pasir Panjang Segari (Sg Puyu) and Pantai Yat-Yat. We suspect the turtles were disturbed by silica mining activities that have already begun at the Tanjung Hantu area,” Ismady said.

The press conference was held in Segari, Perak, with representatives of NGOs that make up the Rakan Segari coalition.

They included Kuasa, Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Sejahtera Malaysia, Pertubuhan Sahabat Ekologi Perak, and the Sungai Gelam Jetty Fisherfolk Community group.

Ismady said that Manjung is the only area in Perak where turtles come to lay eggs, and allowing sand mining activities there would disrupt the marine animal’s population.

‘Reconsider degazettement’

Coalition spokesperson Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman urged the Perak state administration to rethink the partial degazettement of some 548ha of the Segari Melintang forest reserve, especially the coastal area.

While the move was legal, Meor said the state government should consider the impact of its decision on the ecosystem and the livelihoods of fisherfolk in the area.

The area was also the only coastal hill forest that still exists along the Teluk Mengkudu coast in Pengkalan Baharu, Manjung, which has a unique biodiversity, he added.

“We hope the state government can reconsider its decision to degazette the forest reserve, especially this area (the coastal part).

“It might be okay to degazette the other side for commercial purposes, but we are really concerned for the coastal side.

“Because the (affected) coastal area is a nesting ground for turtles and also used by fisherfolk as shelter during bad weather. All these would be destroyed (by mining activities),” he added.

Responding to the report, Perak science, environment and green technology exco Teh Kok Lim said that he will arrange a meeting with the NGO representatives to discuss their concerns and seek a win-win solution.

“It is time to really listen to their complaints,” Teh was quoted by Free Malaysia Today as saying.

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