The damaged reef (foreground) off Mabul Island.
KOTA KINABALU: Tawau member of parliament Datuk Christina Liew has expressed sadness over the alleged destruction of the reef near Mabul Island off the east coast of Sabah.
“I have received feedback from tourism players and environmentalists who are dismayed over the unfortunate incident. They have spent years protecting this creation of nature, only to be demolished by irresponsible humanity.
“This state of affairs warrants an explanation from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, which is entrusted with the responsibility of conserving the State’s precious natural heritage,” said the former State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister in a statement on Friday.
On the ‘shock’ case involving the presence of a rare shark in a tank at a restaurant (which has surfaced online), Liew said it does not bode well for the image of the Government if there is no law enforceability.
“I urge the Fisheries Department to get down to the root of the issue. I understand that this species of shark (known as zebra or leopard shark) is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of species at risk of extinction,” she said.
Shark researchers and conservationists have expressed concern at reports of a rare species of shark being kept in a tank in a restaurant in Kota Kinabalu.
“It is disheartening to see this threatened shark being kept like this in a restaurant – we can only presume it is there to be sold as food, which is shocking. This is an incredibly rare species of shark, one which should be afforded protection by law, according to its Endangered status,” said Dr Nick Pilcher, Founder and Executive Director of the Marine Research Foundation.