ONCE again a proposed cable car project dreamed for the historical and environmentally-significant Santubong Mountain has reared its dreadful head.
The Borneo Post quoted a yet nameless “firm who will implement the project” as claiming that the plans and proposals for the project have received approval from the relevant authorities. A quick check on April 25 with the authority which conveys such approvals dismissed the legitimacy of that claim — the authority has not received an application and therefore has not conveyed any approval.
The apparent sabre-rattling must be again to gauge public perception of the foolish mission.
Notwithstanding the lack of information from firms or individuals who made the claim to have secured approvals, one certainly hopes and believes that the state authorities have the wisdom and good sense not to approve such an ill-conceived project for several reasons.
The Damai Peninsula has been designated by the state government as a tourism precinct since the 1980s. Starting with Sheraton Damai Beach (now Damai Beach Resort) in Teluk Belian, tourism gradually grew in the area aided by the completion of the Santubong Bridge in 1981.
Today the Damai area is home to a variety of resort accommodation, homestays, the world famous Sarawak Cultural Village (venue of the famous Rainforest World Music Festival) and most recently Damai Central – a seaside commercial complex catering for visitors to the area.
Whilst tourist numbers are growing, the nature of tourists is that of nature-lovers, attracted (often repeatedly) to the area because of the natural beauty, tranquillity and serenity of the majestic combination of the sea, the mountain and the cultural experiences.
Whilst not embodying the definition of eco-tourism in its purest form, visitors to Kuching and Damai in particular are attracted by, and speak most convincingly of, what many other places cannot dream of offering – that rare and comfortable blend of accessibility to raw natural beauty within a short distance of a charming, quaint city.
A cable car project – with the towers, pylons and various other buildings and structures – would wreck the image of an untouched paradise in one foul swoop. The vista of what has been untouched for a century of centuries would be irreparably marred by these man-made structures. The landscape and visual impact would detract immeasurably from the natural beauty we have the privilege to behold today and one which we should pass on to our generations to come without defacing.
The environmental damage that will be caused during its construction include air pollution, noise pollution, physical damage caused by the transportation of materials and equipment and removal of solid waste, erosion and waterway pollution.
During the operational phases too, additional environmental concerns arise including the impact on the ecology, biodiversity and natural habitat of rare and protected wildlife species.
Just imagine the service maintenance road up the mountain, the water pipes, the electricity cables, the sewage system etc. Can that small space at the top of majestic Santubong withstand such an onslaught? In any case why the cable car? The view at the top is not that more fantastic than the view from what was SEDC’s Look Out Point.
The feasibility of the project must surely be questioned. With a quoted cost of RM50 million, assuming a 20-year payback period with no profit or interest, the cable car project would require 200 visitors per day, 365 days a year for 20 years at a ticket price per person of RM35 just to cover the construction costs. Operation costs including electricity, staff and insurance – to name the likely big-ticket items – would surely add a burden of requiring at least another 100 visitors per day year round just to break even.
If a private enterprise intends to fund such a venture then it is hoped that this letter will divert its hard-earned cash to other endeavours.
Should the state or federal government be planning to fund it either in cash or in kind, then it should also examine the wisdom of doing so, particularly with so many other pressing needs from the people – schools, clinics, libraries and public transportation to name but a few.
Contrary to entertaining overtures from the unnamed proponent of this cable car tragedy, the state should show the world that it recognises the gem it has the privilege to preserve and declare the entire region protected in perpetuity.
Publicise that well and the tourists – and their descendants – will come again and again.
Otherwise it will simply be ‘killing the goose that lays the golden egg’.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Hamid Bugo