JOHOR BARU: Lawyers for Liberty has described the state government’s decision to degazette Pulau Kukup as a national park area as unacceptable and irresponsible.
Its adviser, N. Surendran, said the decision had shocked and disappointed the nation, and added that there was no conceivable reason for doing so.
“It is unacceptable and highly irresponsible to deprive an area of outstanding ecological and environmental value such as Pulau Kukup of its much-needed national park status,” said Surendran.
He said Pulau Kukup was the world’s second largest uninhabited mangrove island and was listed as a “Wetland of International Importance” under the Ramsar Convention 1971.
The island supports various threatened animal species and is categorised as an “Important Bird Area”.
“The sudden revocation of Pulau Kukup’s status is tantamount to destruction of a site harbouring unparalleled ecological treasures.”
Surendran said the state government had yet to provide a reasonable explanation for degazetting the island even though the decision was made as early as Sept 24.
“Why the silence on a matter of such importance? The area was originally gazetted as a national park in 1997 by the then Barisan Nasional state government.
“By degazetting, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government is proving that they are even worse than the BN in terms of environmental preservation and protection.”
Surendran noted that PH had long criticised BN over environmental degradation, and, as such, it was inexcusable for a PH state to degazette the island.
“With the degazetting, Pulau Kukup is now in immediate danger of encroachment and the destruction of its rich ecosystem and wildlife.
“We urge Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian and the state exco to immediately disclose to the public why the degazetting exercise was carried out.” Surendran also asked the state government to disclose who would profit or benefit from the decision, and whether it intended to destroy the natural habitat and develop the island.
“We strongly urge the prime minister and Federal Government to intervene to save Pulau Kukup. “The PH Federal Government cannot simply stand by and watch an internationally recognised natural treasure of Malaysia be compromised or destroyed.
“The degazetting reflects ill upon PH as a whole,” said Surendran.
He said, although land was a state matter, the Federal Government had adequate legal powers to intervene and protect any area which qualified as a natural heritage site.
“This must now be done as a matter of the utmost urgency.”