Daily Express 13 Jun 09;
Kota Kinabalu: Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup Friday said rubbish still being discarded from the KK Market into the sea is among the major causes of pollution on Sabah's seafront.
He said this is aggravated by rubbish thrown by people into the three big rivers that flow into the sea, namely Putatan River, Tuaran River and Papar River.
"Sabah Parks is still facing this problem (of rubbish thrown into the sea and from the rivers)," he said to reporters after attending a briefing by Sabah Parks and Malaysia Marine Park Department at Manukan Island.
He said whenever the rivers are flooded, rubbish in the form of plastic, waste and plant debris, among others, would be washed into the sea.
He said the Ministry would be conducting awareness campaigns on the importance of preserving and conserving the marine environment with focus particularly on children.
He said the conservation and preservation awareness campaign is aimed at children because they tend to be more receptive compared to adults.
According to him, there are two issues prioritised by the Ministry, which is conservation of marine life and cleanliness of the environment.
To achieve this, he said they would be stressing the necessity to enforce the law and to educate the people on marine life conservation and protection.
He said these are common issues that both the State and Federal governments are very concerned about.
Kurup assured that his Ministry would continue to assist the State Government on the environment, particularly that the marine environment in the State is cared for.
"We have our regular programmes and we also have our centre to provide talks (to the participants)," he said.
On other developments, he said some 250 people in the peninsula have been issued with summonses for encroachment into prohibited areas.
"Although we don't have anyone from Sabah issued with summons for encroachment, there have been many cases of encroachment by illegal immigrants," he said.
To another question, Kurup said boats are allowed to seek refuge in islands such as Pulau Tiga that have been gazetted as prohibited areas when they encounter heavy storms.
However, he said they must strictly abide by the rules and leave the island once the storms subside.
Also present were Sabah Parks Director, Paul Basintal and Director-General of Malaysia Marine Park Department, Abd Jamal Mydin.
