Chuah Bee Kim New Straits Times 4 Apr 11;
THE beautiful view of the Leka Beach, near Parit Jawa, Muar, has been marred by erosion caused by strong waves.
Previously, visitors had nothing but praise for the fresh air and breathtaking view of the Straits of Malacca from there.
Now they are greeted by the sorry sight of coastal erosion.
Besides visitors expressing their disappointment, the local fishermen who use the jetty to unload their haul said that they, too, were affected by the erosion.
Raja Ismail Raja Tabar, 55, a resident said the beach is now muddy, stretching almost five kilometres to the sea.
"Leka Beach, which stretches from Parit Jamil to Parit Pecah and Seri Menanti, attracted many picnickers and beach-goers before this.
"The visitors would spend their whole day there and leave only after sunset.
"But that is now a thing of the past as the beach is in a deplorable state," he said.
Raja Ismail, who is also the Muar Joran Emas Fishing Association chairman, said only Parit Penyengat Laut and part of the Seri Menanti Beach is still covered with sand.
Fisherman Roslan Ibrahim, 45, said the Leka Beach, however, still attracts various species of migratory birds which flock there in search of food. He said the presence of the birds lured avid birdwatchers to the beach.
Because of this, the local council had spent RM300,000 to build a bird-watching tower at the beach.
Roslan said a recreation area was also built recently for visitors.
