PETALING JAYA: The untreated sewage pollution at Pulau Perhentian Kecil, a popular tourist destination off the coast of Terengganu, must be urgently resolved as the reputation of the nation’s tourism sector is at stake, says an Amanah leader.
Terengganu Amanah chief Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah called for the federal and state governments to jointly tackle the problem.
He was referring to a FMT report yesterday on food poisoning cases among tourists at a resort in Pulau Perhentian Kecil, that was linked to the sewage pollution around the island.
He also urged the relevant authorities to take the matter seriously as it could otherwise discourage foreign tourists from visiting the island.
“The tourism, arts, and culture ministry should carry out a detailed audit of the sewage treatment system at all hotels and chalets that operate on the island.
“The department of environment (DOE) must also study this problem and figure out why it has been left unresolved for so long,” he said in a statement today.
He warned that a single incident like this can also have a bearing on the image of the whole nation as a tourist destination.
FMT reported yesterday that six tourists suffered from food poisoning at a resort in Pulau Perhentian Kecil. They became ill after swimming in waters believed to have been contaminated with untreated sewage.
One of the affected tourists told FMT that she suffered from the same problem when she visited the island six years ago.
Some of the 50 resorts on the island contacted by FMT refused to say if they treated their waste water according to DOE requirements. One resort owner who did not want to be named said that many irresponsible resort operators took the easy way out by dumping untreated sewage into the sea.
Raja Kamarul also called for the local government to inspect the water piping system to identify whether they are polluted, in order to prevent more cases of food poisoning. - FMT
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