Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan Vice President Datuk Junz Wong fears that the visual appeal of Sabah’s world-famous turquoise waters is being rapidly eroded by a persistent “trash crisis”.
“The state’s multi-billion ringgit tourism industry faces an existential threat,” he warned.
While marketing campaigns continue to promote Sabah as a pristine tropical paradise, Junz highlighted that the reality on the ground — and in the water — is increasingly defined by blankets of floating rubbish.
He argues that the pollution threatens to permanently devalue the state’s global brand.
“Tourism is a visual economy,” Junz said, noting that the most immediate effect of the pollution is the destruction of Sabah’s “world-class” image.
He pointed out that when images of plastic-choked seas in Semporna and the Kota Kinabalu waterfront circulate globally via social media, they serve as “anti-advertisements” that are difficult to erase.
Junz cautioned that this digital footprint of decay directly contradicts the government’s efforts to position Sabah as a premium destination.
“If tourists perceive the ‘paradise’ as a dump, they will simply choose cleaner competitors in the region,” he said.
The former State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister stressed that the persistence of waste is no longer just an environmental hurdle, but a symptom of a “systemic breakdown in enforcement and accountability.”
He criticised the current cycle of task forces and reports that had stalled without yielding tangible results.
“This lack of decisive action acts as a deterrent to high-value investments,” Junz added.
He noted that international hotel chains and investors are unlikely to commit to areas where basic municipal management — such as keeping the ocean clean — cannot be guaranteed.
Beyond the immediate loss of tourist arrivals, Junz outlined the creeping effects of the crisis on the local economy:
- Biodiversity Loss: Rubbish destroys the coral reefs and marine life that attract divers, leading to a long-term decline in site quality.
- Public Health Risks: Floating waste serves as a breeding ground for bacteria and pests, posing risks to both coastal communities and visitors.
- Economic Erosion: A collapse of the tourism brand would jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of Sabahans, from boat operators to hospitality staff.
He called for immediate, aggressive clean-up operations and a complete overhaul of waste management enforcement, warning that no amount of expensive promotion can fix a failure to manage the basics.
