SAM Urge Government To Preserve Mangrove Forest
Bernama 26 Dec 08;
PENANG, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has urged the government to stop all activities in mangroves forest and pay serious attention to the threat posed by the aquaculture industry which has resulted in the deterioration of the mangrove forest eco-system.
SAM president S.M. Mohamed Idris said there was a need to re-consider the industrial aquaculture zones and prohibit aquaculture activities in mangrove forest.
"The government should also develop a strong policy and law to control the aquaculture industry as well as to rehabilitate damaged mangrove forest to ensure protection for our coastlines," he told reporters here, Friday.
He said the areas that were badly hit by Tsunami in 2004 like Acheh and Thailand suffered huge losses because the mangrove forest had been converted for aquaculture industries.
"The tragedy of Tsunami created a chaotic situation throughout the world and these are valuable lessons to avert future tragedies especially in the light of adverse impact of climate change in the future," he said.
He said areas comprising mangrove forest in Malaysia has decreased drastically despite a warning by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to stop any invasion and destruction of mangrove forest and a call to replant mangrove trees.
In conjunction with the Tsunami anniversary in Penang today SAM, in collaboration with the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) would replant about 6,000 mangrove trees in six different locations in Kedah, Penang and Perak.
The Tsunami, triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean, off Sumatra on Dec 26, 2004 claimed over 230,000 lives in countries like Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Somalia, Maldives and Malaysia.
-- BERNAMA
Planting saplings to mark tsunami
New Straits Times 28 Dec 08;
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The tradition of planting mangrove saplings in remembrance of the Dec 26, 2004 tsunami tragedy continued yesterday with 4,000 saplings planted in Sungai Sembilang, Kuala Juru, here.
The project was a joint effort of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), Penang Inshore Fishermen's Welfare Association (Pifwa) and National Peninsular Inshore Fishermen's Action Network (Jaring).
Pifwa chairman Ilias Shafie said 1,000 of the saplings were donated by Intel workers.
Pifwa has planted more than 100,000 saplings along the Penang coastline since 1997.
The sites included Sungai Burung in Balik Pulau, Kuala Sungai Chenaam in Sungai Acheh, Kuala Sungai Kerian in Byram, Nibong Tebal, Kuala Muda in Penaga, Pulau Burung in Nibong Tebal and Batu Kawan.
In Jerlun, Bernama reports that the tradition was also continued by a group of Universiti Sains Malaysia students and residents of Tepi Laut village in Ayer Hitam, who planted mangrove saplings along the coast.
The project, in its fourth year since the tsunami, saw 1,000 saplings planted in the area as a precaution against erosion.
The project was carried out with the co-operation of SAM from Kuala Kerpan to Kuala Tunjang near here, as well as in Langkawi and Sungai Merbok, Sungai Semilang in Penang, Kuala Kurau in Perak and Pontian in Johor, said SAM marine research officer Norsalila Aris.
In Port Klang, the corporate sector also got into the act with Northport (Malaysia) Bhd jointly organising a one-day coastal care carnival with the Klang Municipal Council and Selangor Water Management Board to focus on the conservation of mangroves at the Tanjung Harapan Esplanade yesterday.
The carnival saw an overwhelming response from Port Klang residents, who participated in the activities, which included a fishing competition, an auto show, a colouring contest and a blood donation campaign, in addition to planting 500 saplings along the coastline.
Orang Besar Daerah Klang Datuk Abdul Ghani Pateh Akhir, when launching the carnival, said the programme would also boost the tourism industry as clean and beautiful beaches would draw more tourists.
