An open challenge to revert Sg Telipok to former state
Published on: Saturday, November 11, 2017
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I WISH to the draw the attention of everyone including the authority, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment and even the NGO or individual groups regarding the “ Love Our Rivers”, “Conserve Our Rivers” And The Erosion And Sediment Control Plan(ESCP) campaign to keep our rivers clean.
Recently there was a DID mission to: Make Sabah’s Rivers Great Again.
Let me start with smaller rivers like Sg. lnanam which was once famous for the Kionsom Waterfall, Sg. Menggatal once had clean water and Sg. Telipok had fishes and prawn. Sg Telipok became polluted long ago and nothing was done to rehabilitate it. The residents and villagers who lived there for many years since before 1970s, will tell that it was among the cleanest. During my childhood, I used to go fishing with my grandmother and the fish we caught would be enough to last for a few days for the whole family.
Most of the residents would catch a lot of Ikan Kesili(a fresh water eel),Ikan Betutu or Ikan Ubi that today is sold RM80 to 100 per kilo, Ikan Serawi and much more, and not to forget the fresh water udang galah.
Unfortunately, a Chinese businessman started a large scale pig farm at Kg. Timbok, Telipok.
The owner of the farm maybe did not construct a proper sewerage system. It is likely a treatment pond using some sort of chemical treatment was built and discharged effluents directly into the river, causing it to be polluted.
All the lovely fish in the river died, until the residents/villagers of Telipok cannot obtain fish from the river any more.
We complained many times to the authorities concerned and few individuals made an initiative but nothing happened to reverse the situation which is why I believe the “Love Our Rivers Campagn” and now the DID Mission:” “Make Sabah’s River Great Again” will also fail.
Prove me wrong by returning the Sg Telipok to its former pristine state which was crystal clear, full of fish, eels and prawns. Introduce the Tagal System, and it will hold tourism potential. One more important thing one day KK and the surrounding areas may need clean and fresh water supply from this river.
Therefore, I again urge the concerned authorities, ministers, YBs, NGO and even individual groups to come up with proposals. Lets do a clean up of this river and others affected by pollution and introduce the “Tagal System” which is successful in other districts in Sabah and so effective in preventing rivers being polluted and more resourcesful.
RE Vision 2020
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