Resort developer pledges decade-long effort to restore coral reefs

 The Taiwan-based company says it will repair coral reefs, protect turtle habitats and reforest Mengalum Island before building a planned net-zero carbon resort.

Mengalum Island, about 56km north-west of Kota Kinabalu, is regarded as the ‘Maldives of Malaysia’ for its beaches, clear waters and coral reefs. (Pakej Bajet Sabah Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

A Taiwan-based property developer has pledged to spend the next 10 years restoring coral reefs, protecting turtle nesting areas and planting trees on Sabah’s Mengalum Island before starting construction of a planned luxury resort.

Sinyi Group said the conservation work was part of its more than RM1 billion investment in two tourism projects in Sabah, aimed at promoting high-end tourism while protecting the environment.

“We want to conserve and enhance the island before development,” Sinyi Realty Malaysia assistant general manager Henry Chou said at a recent conference on investment for sustainable development. “There are coral reefs that are only beginning to recover, so we are taking a long-term approach,” the Daily Express quoted him as saying.

Mengalum Island, about 56km north-west of Kota Kinabalu, is known for its beaches, clear waters and coral reefs.

Sinyi is reported to have bought about 300ha of the island in 2019 and plans to build a low-density luxury resort there, which is expected to get about 95% of its electricity from solar power with battery storage systems.

Chou said Sabah remained attractive to investors despite challenges such as a shortage of construction materials and technical expertise. He said the company’s interest in Sabah began after his parents visited the state 15 years ago and fell in love with its natural beauty.

“Sabah’s forests, mountains, mangroves and marine ecosystems give it a unique advantage in sustainable tourism,” he said. - FMT