KOTA KINABALU: An environmentalist has expressed his disappointment with the relevant ministry and government authorities for turning a ‘blind eye’ to the plight of villagers in Penampang whose livelihood has been affected by water pollution for many years now.
Dr C Y Vun said this was not the first time villagers of Kampung Moyog and Kampung Togudon have complained about the pollution in Moyog River caused by quarry operation of a private company.
“In April 2010, as a member of the Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA), I made a call through the The Borneo Post urging the relevant authorities to suspend the quarry operation of the company as it is polluting the river.
“Alas, until today, no action has been taken by the ministry concerned and the relevant government authorities,” he said yesterday, when commenting a complaint by the villagers in a local daily.
Vun said in 2010, he conducted a study there following complaints from residents in Penampang about the murky water supply. He took many photographs and samples of water from the river and drains which were murky, apparently due to a high concentration of manganese.
He also found that silt traps and sedimentation ponds within the quarry operation were not functioning.
According to him, quarry operation falls within the purview of the Environment Quality Act 1974 Schedule 14, which requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) if it is within three kilometres of any existing residential, commercial, schools or any other sensitive areas.
At that time, Vun said SEPA had urged the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun, and the Department of Environment to take action against the quarry operator as it has been polluting the water supply source in the area for about 20 years.
The recent complaint on the same matter from the residents there, Vun said, showed that no action has been taken by the government or relevant authorities in addressing the problem.
“If the relevant ministry, government departments and political leaders in power do not heed the call made by SEPA and residents there, then I would think SEPA should just de-register itself to save its effort and energy fighting for a cause that could never be recognized and appreciated – it is simply a waste of time and resources,” he lamented.