The Star 31 Oct 09;
BESUT: More than 1,300 people have been arrested in the country since 2003 for violating marine park conservation laws.
Marine Park Department director-general Abd Jamal Mydin said continuous enforcement resulted in fines totalling RM1mil, along with the arrests of 1,335 offenders.
He said since 2003 until June this year, Pahang recorded 125 violations and RM254,980 in fines, followed by Kedah (82, RM254,850), Johor (58, RM161,350) and Terengganu (53, RM249,800).
Speaking after the opening of the Besut Marine Park Department office in Seberang Kastam, Kuala Besut, near here recently, Abd Jamal said enforcement activities were being carried out intensively at marine parks.
He said that only 42 out of 800 islands in Malaysia had been gazetted as marine parks, adding that the department would continue to encourage state governments to consider declaring more marine parks.
He also thanked environmentalists for their pivotal efforts to safeguard the marine parks and create public awareness.
