Visitors to Malaysian islands maybe reduced

Daily Express 28 Sep 10;

Kota Kinabalu: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun wants Sabah Parks to look into the carrying capacity of all islands under their care following with the increase in human traffic.

"There are crowds ... the question is can the island or for example Mammon Island sustain human traffic which is rising in number.

"I've asked Sabah Parks to look into this matter. Plus there may come a time, just like in Sipadan ... and I said there may come a time where we have to restrict the number of visitors per day."

He told reporter at the launching of Project Aware at Mamutik Island off here, Saturday. Masidi added that the Mamutik island has an area of 30 acres.

"We are not going to make a decision in a hurry but rather ask Sabah Parks to study the matter whether it is necessary for us to keep or restrict the number of visitors per week," Masidi said.

He said that the move has been implemented on Redang Island in Terengganu following coral bleaching, adding that it is a good wake up call for Sabah.

"Here, a professor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah has questioned that there seems to be a conclusive evidence that there is a form of coral bleaching but he attributed it to the weather and the rising in water temperature.

"Still, I don't think we should take chances. What happened in Redang is a good wake up call for us.

"For that reason alone, Sabah Parks must make a thorough study on the possibility for us to keep the numbers of visitors in any particular day."