Bernama 9 Apr 11;
BESUT, April 9 (Bernama) -- Nine scuba diving sites in the vicinity of several islands in the country are expected to be re-opened soon.
The diving sites closed were located off Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang, Pulau Tenggol and those off Pahang and Kedah.
Last June, the marine parks were closed due to bleaching of coral reefs which were badly damaged as a result of changes in sea temperature at that time.
The coral reefs had recovered by between 90 and 100 per cent, said Malaysian Marine Parks director-general Dr Sukarno Wagiman.
In view of the recovery, he said the department had asked the natural resources and environment ministry to decide on the most suitable time to reopen the marine parks.
"According to the department's monitoring efforts, we find the condition of the sea water has improved, resulting in 90 to 100 per cent regeneration of the coral reefs," he told reporters here Saturday.
Earlier, Dr Sukarno had launched the Bank Rakyat corporate social service which involved anchoring three sunken automated teller machines and cleaning the beach at the Pulau Perhentian marine parks here.
At the function, the bank, and private entity Dorken Reef Resources which is involved in research and manufacture of ceramic artificial reefs, contributed 75 ceramic enviro-reefs and several machine components for use as artificial reef.
Previously, confiscated foreign fishing boats served as artificial reef to breed coral reef and marine life.
-- BERNAMA
