Iconic Tanjung Aru beach’s dark, filthy side

Is Kota Kinabalu City Hall to be blamed for Tanjung Aru beach's state of disrepair?

KOTA KINABALU: Tanjung Aru beach in Kota Kinabalu was once an iconic feature in Sabah. Today the entire stretch known as first beach is littered with garbage and stinks of decaying food. Compounding this is the increasing reports of muggings and robberies.

The once breathtaking view of the sunset is also lost behind indiscriminately built structures.

Fed-up city dwellers are now demanding to know why the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) has allowed the beach to fall into disrepair.

A group of local sportmen who train regularly on the beach said since the beach lights crashed two months ago they have not been able to train after sunset for fear of being mugged.

The group which plays competitive Frisbee sport said many of the beach lights were our of order and beachside facilities in ruin.

“The spotlights that used to illuminate the entire first beach area at 6.30pm have been out of order since May.

“Why hasn’t anything been done to repair them? It’s been two months now,” said a player who identified himself as Richard.

He said that at least in the past they could see the surroundings and avoid the many hazards such as broken drain covers and bent wires covering the drains but this was impossible now.

Richard said their sport called ‘Ultimate Frisbee’ is a growing in popularity in Sabah and Tanjung Aru first beach was a great location to showcase the game.

Tourist appeal

His group dubbed as “Sabah Ultimate Firsbee” represented Sabah at the Malaysian Ultimate Open tournament in Kuala Lumpur in 2010.

“People like to watch us play on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings. Some tourists even come and play with us.

“Our presence makes the beach more lively and gives a laid-back local feel to the beach setting.

“But since the lights were no longer functioning, they had limited to to play the sport.

“There is virtually zero visibility on the beach. We can’t play in the pitch darkness.

“Also we can see sparks being emitted by the faulty spotlights and now the beach lighting.

The infrastructure is completely useless here.

“We fear for our safety and belongings as well as for sharp objects on the ground that may be hidden by the darkness.

“Injuries could occur due to poor visibility. It ruins the beach experience,” he said.

Security issues

He said the beach has also become a mini garbage-site since the state government decided to up-grade the facilities there in the mid 1990s.

Since then various business outlets have mushroomed and paved parts of the beach, as well as cutting down decades-old trees and cemented over swaths of grassy verges to make way for restaurants and stalls.

The stench of decay food and the run-off from stalls into several drains that empty directly into the surf.

This has turned the famed beach into an eyesore for many who say it should have been left it its natural state.

Although tourists and locals still visit the famed beach known for its beautiful sunset views, they however don’t linger anymore because of the lack of lighting and the lack of security in the area.

A number of thefts and muggings have been reported by tourists and local beach goers this year.

Recently it was learnt that DBKK had permitted a business chain to expand its structures at the beachfront further cutting off a view of the sea from various vantage points.

People out for a stroll as well as motorists who could in the past get a good view of the beach from a distance away can now no longer savour the sight due to the commercial structures that have come up as a result of poor planning.