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NATIONAL ECOTOURISM PLAN Assessing

Implementation of the Guidelines for Marine
Parks

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 NATIONAL ECOTOURISM PLAN
Assessing Implementation of the Guidelines for Marine Parks

Cheryl Rita Kaur

<cheryl_rk@mima.gov.my>

Researcher, Centre for Coastal & Marine Environment

MARITIME INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIA

Outline
The rapid speed at which the tourism sector has been developing warrants adequate attention to
infrastructure planning and development, as well as the management of tourists to ensure that
the marine ecosystem and marine resources are not adversely affected. Acknowledging the fact
that tourism was a growing industry, the Malaysian Tourism Policy was formulated in 1992. The
policy identified ecotourism as one form of tourism to be expanded and sustained. It was against
this background that a more specific National Ecotourism Plan was implemented in 1996.
Although ecotourism was touted as a type of tourism that could sustain natural resources without
compromising the commercial benefits of the area, several marine parks have suffered from
mass tourism and overdevelopment. Thus, this paper has identified gaps in the ecotourism
guidelines and recognized issues and problems pertaining to the marine parks of Malaysia.

Keywords
Tourists; Natural Resources; Marine Parks; National Ecotourism Plan; Conservation;
Guidelines

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of tourism sector development
In Malaysia, the tourism sector ranks second as a generator of foreign exchange after oil and gas
production. This industry has been growing rapidly in the country over the past few years. For
example, Malaysia has shown a significant increase of tourist arrivals from countries in Asia
Pacific (see Figure 1). According to some leisure industry players, the new five day work week,
announced recently, has also contributed to an uptrend in tourism among Malaysia’s 1.2 million
civil servants (Borneo Post, 24/12/2005). According to the Malaysian Tourism Board, the

1
government has announced that RM1 billion will be allocated to tourism infrastructure and
development for 2006, which will be managed by the Small and Medium Enterprise
Development Bank (SME).

Figure 1. June quarter visitor arrivals into 11 Asia Pacific countries

(Source: Available online at http://www.tourismfuturesintl.com/analyst/index.html)

The Malaysian Ministry of Tourism also announced that the cumulative tourist arrival figures
(from January until March 2005) stood at 4,159,857 visitors, which was a 4.6% increase from
last year’s figure of 3,978,214 visitors for the same period. This illustrates the substantial number
of visitor arrivals and tourist receipts in Malaysia (Figure 2). The Ministry has indicated that it
will continue to work hard to improve tourism performance for the coming years and all
indicators are positive in favour of a better performance. But despite all these efforts, how far is
the ecotourism concept incorporated into the industry and how far are the ecotourism guidelines
being adhered to in managing the marine parks in Malaysia? To what extent has ecotourism
contributed to the cost of protecting and managing the marine parks? These are some of the
emerging questions that need to be answered in this report.

2
 Overall tourists arrivals and receipts in Malaysia
(1997-2004)
35,000.00 18,000,000
30,000.00 16,000,000
Tourist receipts 14,000,000

tourist arrivals
25,000.00

International
12,000,000

(number)
(RM Mil)
20,000.00 10,000,000
15,000.00 8,000,000
6,000,000
10,000.00
4,000,000
5,000.00 2,000,000
0.00 0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Year
Tourists receipts (RM Mil) International tourists arrivals

Figure 2. Overall international tourist arrivals and tourist receipts in Malaysia from year 1997
to 2004 (Source: Data obtained from Malaysian Tourism Board, Kuala Lumpur. 2005)

1.2 Ecotourism: definitions and principles

There is no universally accepted definition of ecotourism. However, various researchers and
organizations have attempted to define this term. As such, there are considerable overlaps in the
definition of ecotourism (Ron, 2006). Some of the examples are given here.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) coined one of the first definitions, which is,
‘responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of
local people’. Ecotourism as defined later by The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Ecotourism Programme is, ‘environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively
undisturbed natural areas in order to enjoy and appreciate nature as well as any accompanying
cultural features that promotes conservation, has low visitor impact and provides beneficially
active socio-economic involvement of local population’. According to Ceballos-Lascurain
(1987), ecotourism is, ‘travelling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with
the specific objectives of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and
animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestation (both past and present) found in the areas’.
Ong (1999) suggested that ecotourism has three basic elements; understanding culture and
natural history (education), imposing reduced impact on the environment (environmental

3
conservation), and, it is an economic activity that should benefit local people (community
empowerment both in terms of revenue and culture).

The European Chart for Sustainable Tourism Development defined ecotourism as, ‘all kinds of
tourism linked with nature with a strong interest to learn and appreciate the environment as well
as the traditional culture in those areas, it integrates education and interpretation, it is organized
for small groups of tourists, it limits the negative impact on the natural and socio-cultural
environment and leads to the protection of natural areas’. According to the Quebec Declaration
on Ecotourism, it ‘embraces the principles of sustainable tourism, where it contributes actively to
the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. In this context, it includes local and indigenous
communities in its planning, development and operation, contributing to their well-being,
interprets the natural and cultural heritage of the destination to the visitors and lends itself better
to independent travellers as well as to organized small groups’.

In the Malaysian context, ecotourism is defined as, ‘travel and visitation that is environmentally
responsible to relatively undisturbed natural areas in order to enjoy and appreciate nature
(including any accompanying cultural features; both past and present), promotes conservation,
has low visitor impact and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local
populations’ (The National Ecotourism Plan, 1997).

Since the publication of her book ‘Ecotourism and Sustainable Development’, Martha Honey's
definition has quickly become the standard, where more serious studies on ecotourism now use
her description as the working definition globally (Mike, 1999). Listed here are her 6 defining
points, which are applicable as the ‘main essence’ of ecotourism:

• Involves travel to natural destinations

• Minimizes impact
• Builds environmental awareness
• Provides direct financial benefits for conservation
• Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people
• Respects local culture

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1.3 Ecotourism in marine parks, a definition
It is important first to clarify what the interpretation of ecotourism practice in marine parks is.
Ecotourism in marine parks can be defined as marine ecotourism, which is ‘ecotourism that takes
place in coastal and marine settings’ (Mike, 1999). This area of ecotourism is exceptionally
important, as Malaysia is blessed with breathtaking islands along with white sandy beaches and
clear waters, which generates significant revenue for the nation. Moreover, its growth has been
assisted, to an extent, by the abundant and rich coral reefs and shallow tropical marine resources
in this region.

1.4 Ecotourism in Malaysia

Ecotourism is becoming the fastest growing form of tourism in Malaysia, currently making up
about 10 per cent of the country’s tourism revenue (Vasanth, 2005). Many government and
tourist agencies have adapted their organizations to offering services that are related to
ecotourism activities. A high fiscal commitment is also contributed by the Ministry for its
development. For instance, a total of RM1,009 billion was allocated for the development of the
tourism industry during the Eighth Malaysia Plan [8 MP] (Eighth Malaysia Plan, 2001).

Malaysia has a wide range of natural assets that makes ecotourism a highly beneficial,
sustainable and long-term form of tourism. This includes lakes, mangroves, limestone caves,
mountains, waterfalls, islands, wildlife and many others. Despite this fact, there are enormous
concerns for the future of ecotourism, as many of the famous ecotourism sites in Malaysia are
now so over-used. Some of the examples are Wang Kelian in Perlis (limestone, caves and
forests), Kenyir Catchments in Terengganu (lake, boating, trekking and fishing), Pulau Kukup in
Johor (mangroves, wildlife, and seafood), Lower Kinabatangan River in Sabah (proboscis
monkeys and wildlife), Pulau Redang in Terengganu (fish, coral reefs and an attractive marine
environment), Pulau Sipadan in Sabah (fish, coral reefs and an attractive marine environment),
and many others. One of the best ecotourism practices have been displayed in the Matang
Mangroves Forest in Perak. However, there is still a lack of best ecotourism practices displayed
in any of the marine parks in Malaysia.

5
1.5 The positive viewpoint of ecotourism
The United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have predicted that ecotourism
will become the world’s biggest industry in the future. Thus, if properly implemented, it can
provide employment opportunities for locals in the long term. Tourism, being the world’s largest
employer, has already generated almost 200 million jobs or some 10 per cent of jobs globally
(Halpenny and Elizabeth, 2002). In Malaysia, this sector provides jobs to many people
employed in the hotel, resort and transportation industries, as well as those in restaurant and
other tourist-related business (WWF Malaysia, 2005).

Moreover, it can also bring benefits to rural communities in terms of increased revenue, support
for conservation and provide better environmental management. Ecotourism could become
central to sustainable development, offering one realistic key solution to the apparent conflict
between environmental protection and economic growth (Star, 16/5/2005). Besides being a
powerful incentive for governments to conserve areas, the ecotourism industry provides an
enhanced image for the nation and for the tourism sector as a whole. Furthermore, Malaysia is a
party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (1994) and has also adopted Agenda 21
(particularly Chapter 15 and 16), both of which are committed to conserving biological diversity.

1.6 The negative outlook of ecotourism

Ecotourism can have the same harmful effects as that of mass tourism if tour operators, resorts
managers, marine parks officers and other stakeholders, as the main promoters, do not strictly
adhere to the precepts of ecotourism (Pamela, 1995). This is due to the fact that there are
increased numbers’ of visitors (ecotravelers) to almost all the marine park islands, as a result of
increased promotion done by various parties in order to generate economic revenue. When
demand rises, further development implemented in the areas that were previously untouched
could cause extensive damage. Once destinations become popular, there is often no way to
control development activities.

An enhanced tourism industry also involves many activities that can have adverse environmental
effects (Elizabeth, 2001). Many of these are linked with the construction of general infrastructure

6
and tourism facilities, such as roads and airports, resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses
and marinas. The negative impact of tourism development can gradually destroy the
environmental resources on which it actually depends.

1.7 Objectives of study

This study focuses on the implementation of the guidelines developed for the marine parks of
Malaysia for ecotourism purposes and aims to conduct a gap analysis of the guidelines. The
general issues and problems pertaining to ecotourism practices in the marine parks of Malaysia
are identified. To strengthen the capacity and capability of marine parks’ ecotourism
management, this paper also compares the differences in the practice of ecotourism in marine
parks in Peninsular Malaysia (taking management of the marine parks in Terengganu as an
example) with East Malaysia (taking management of the marine parks in Sabah as a model),
mainly because marine parks in Sabah fall outside the remit of the Marine Parks Unit under the
Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (NRE) and, as such, present a different suite of
administrative arrangements to those under Federal jurisdiction.

1.8 Methodology
The methods used to address the objectives are literature reviews; information gathering;
discussions and consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism (MOCAT), Sabah
Tourism Board, the Marine Park Unit under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
(NRE), Sabah Parks; Fisheries Department; World Wildlife Fund for nature Malaysia (WWFM),
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the State government
and also the Department of Environment (DoE). Besides this, the researcher also participated in a
three-day national conference on ‘EU-Malaysia Ecotourism Conference 2005’ in Perak.

7
2.0 MARINE PARKS IN MALAYSIA
2.1 An overview
Marine Parks in Malaysia (Table 1) were established by the Fisheries Act of 1985, under Part IX
– Marine Parks and Marine Reserves (Sections 41 – 45). The management and conservation of
the marine parks are also subjected to the National Advisory Council for Marine Parks and
Reserves (NAC) and the Marine Parks Trust Fund Management Committee (MPB), which
determines the policy and guidelines for implementation at the national level, gives technical
advice to the State government on any development project in a marine park and coordinates
development planning by the Federal agencies.

The marine parks were primarily established to conserve and conduct research on the rich
biodiversity contained in the marine park waters. However, time has changed over the years and
now marine parks have to maintain an uneasy balance between conservation and tourism
activities.

TABLE 1. List of the main islands gazetted as Marine Parks Malaysia (Amendment) Order 1998
NAME OF ISLAND STATE / AUTHORITY GROUP
(MARINE PARKS)
Pulau Redang Terengganu Pulau Redang Marine Park
Pulau Perhentian Kecil
Pulau Perhentian Besar
Pulau Lang Tengah
Pulau Susu Dara
Pulau Lima
Pulau Ekor Tebu
Pulau Pinang
Pulau Nyireh
Pulau Tenggol
Pulau Kapas
Pulau Tioman Pahang Pulau Tioman Marine Park
Pulau Labas
Pulau Sepoi
Pulau Gut
Pulau Tokong Bahara
Pulau Tulai
Pulau Chebeh
Pulau Sembilang
Pulau Seri Buat

8
Pulau Kaca Kedah Pulau Payar Marine Park
Pulau Lembu
Pulau Payar
Pulau Segantang
Pulau Rawa Johor Mersing Marine Park
Pulau Hujung
Pulau Tengah
Pulau Besar
Pulau Tinggi
Pulau Aur
Pulau Pemanggil
Pulau Harimau
Pulau Goal
Pulau Mensirip
Pulau Sibu
Pulau Sibu Hujung
Pulau Mentinggi

Pulau Kuraman The Federal Territory of Labuan Pulau Labuan Marine Park
Pulau Rusukan Besar
Pulau Rusukan Kechil
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park: Sabah Parks Authority Sabah
Pulau Gaya
Pulau Manukan
Pulau Mamutik
Pulau Sulug
Pulau Sapi

Pulau Tiga Park:

Pulau Tiga
Pulau Kalampunian Besar
Pulau Kalampunian Damit

Turtle Islands Park:

Pulau Gulisan
Pulau Bakkungan Kecil
Pulau Selingan

In July 2004, the Tun Sakaran Park

(Semporna Islands) was listed as a new
marine park. It includes 8 islands; which
are Pulau Bohaydulang, Pulau Gaya, Pulau
Sebangkat, Pulau Selakan, Pulau Tatagan,
Pulau Maiga, Pulau Sibuan, and Pulau
Mantabuan.

Pulau Talang-Talang Besar Sarawak National Parks and Wildlife Sarawak

Pulau Talang-Talang Kechil Office
Pulau Satang Besar

9
3.0 THE NATIONAL ECOTOURISM PLAN (NEP)
3.1 Content of the Plan
The NEP is a comprehensive plan for the country that has been formally adopted by the
Government of Malaysia to assist them at Federal and State levels for the development of
Malaysia’s ecotourism potential (The National Ecotourism Plan, 1997). The Ministry of Culture,
Tourism and Arts (MOCAT) coordinates the planning, promotion and regulation of the Plan. The
Plan is thus intended to serve both as an appropriate instrument within Malaysian overall
sustainable development targets and as an effective tool for conservation of the natural and
cultural heritage of the country.

Basically, the Plan is divided into seven parts. This includes the Executive Summary (describes
the plan at a glance); Identification of Strategies (identifies strategies and action plans to tackle
the issues); Site Listing (lists suggestions and potential sites with development); Guidelines
(addresses specific activities and functions); Status (illustrates the current state of ecotourism);
The Region (sets Malaysia within the Asia-Pacific); and Annexes (contacts, bibliography and
other data are listed here).

The Plan consists of 25 easy-to-use guidelines for the management and promotion of ecotourism
in Malaysia. Guidelines can be defined as rules or principles that provide guidance to appropriate
behaviour (Farlex online dictionary, 2005). It is also viewed as soft laws. The guidelines are
divided into four categories as listed below:
1. Category 1: Guidelines for Categorizing Sites and Activities (Guideline 1)
2. Category 2: Carrying Capacity and Limits of Acceptable Change (Guideline 2)
3. Category 3: Guidelines according to Ecosystems (Guideline 3: marine park and islands)
4. Category 4: Guidelines according to Practices (Guidelines 11 – 25 covering issues such
as zoning, local community participation, marketing and promotion, visitor roles and
responsibilities, health and safety, monitoring, conservation programmes and others)

10
3.2 GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT OF MARINE PARKS
3.2.1 Basic rules and regulations in marine parks
There are some basic guidelines governing activities in marine parks. For example,
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are necessary for prescribed activities as stated in the
Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 1987.
This includes some laws on the:
ƒ clearing of mangrove swamps on marine park islands.
ƒ construction of hotels, resorts and chalets with more than 80 rooms and all hotel
development which covers an area of 50 hectares or more.
(However, the latest marine parks management strategy has affirmed that all construction
activities on the marine parks need to undergo the EIA assessment, regardless of the size
and number of rooms).
ƒ development of tourism recreational activities on the islands.
ƒ disposal of municipal solid waste and sewage.
ƒ development of groundwater involving water supply greater than 4,500 cubic metres per
day.

Besides that, all activities that could harm coral reefs or destroy the marine environment are
strictly prohibited under the Fisheries Act 1985. These activities include fishing,
spear fishing, pilfering corals or shells, collecting sand or dead corals, polluting and littering,
anchoring on reefs, building or erecting any type of structure on/in the water, and others.

Overall, there are two groups of guidelines for the marine parks according to the National
Ecotourism Plan, which are:
ƒ Guidelines for operation of facilities in marine parks
ƒ Guidelines for operation of recreational activities in marine parks

3.2.2 Guidelines for operation of facilities in marine parks

The examples of guidelines on the operation of facilities in marine parks according to the NEP
(1997) are given below:

ƒ Sitting and development of facilities:

It is important for proper placement of facilities to avoid loading the marine environment with
high levels of silt during the construction phase. Facilities must be limited to lowland areas, on

11
very small islands and at water catchment areas. Buffer zones (building construction should not
be allowed in this area) should be established at beach areas, with an ideal minimum setback of
100 metre from the high water mark. Vegetation at the beach strand should be maintained and
replanted to prevent erosion. It is also affirmed that only low-density and low-rise tourist
accommodation (such as single storey chalets and frame huts) should be developed, whilst
providing adequate services and amenities for tourists.

ƒ Facilities management:
Sustainable and environmentally friendly use of resources must be conducted. For instance,
indigenous species of plants should be used for landscaping, rather than any exotic or introduced
species. Locally available materials, recycled and non-toxic substances should be used as
building materials to minimize impact on the environment. Energy saving devices and energy
efficient equipment ought to be used on the islands. The use of any kind of herbicides, pesticides
and fertilizers should be avoided. Phosphate-free, non-chlorine bleaches and biodegradable
detergents are suggested to be used as cleaning products to avoid eutrophication (the biological
response to the excess input of nutrients into a water body) of the island water column.

ƒ Freshwater management:
Freshwater available on islands should be used sustainably to prevent the need for costly
importing of freshwater from the mainland. Any extraction of groundwater through tube wells
should be monitored. Low-flow toilets or other water-saving technologies are suggested. Direct
discharge of freshwater into the reef areas should not be allowed to prevent any changes in
salinity, which could affect the corals adversely.

ƒ Sewage treatment and disposal:

A central sewerage system must be used and no direct discharge of sewage into the sea should be
allowed. Septic tanks should be placed at proper distances from water sources, monitored for
efficiency and the sludge pumped out at intervals to avoid contamination of the water column.
Additionally, grey water (effluent from washing) and black water (effluent from toilets) must be
streamed separately. Grey water should be recycled after it is filtered and disinfected for non-

12
consumptive purposes (through flush toilets and urinals). Oils and fats from crockery must also
be removed with absorbent towels prior to washing.

ƒ Solid waste treatment & disposal:

Waste should be minimized at the source through reducing, reusing, recycling, and repairing
whenever possible. Litter around islands should be collected on a regular basis. Efficient
numbers of litter bins should be provided. Staff should patrol the beaches, especially during peak
times.

3.2.3 Guidelines for operation of recreational activities in marine parks

The examples of the guidelines on the operation of recreational activities in marine parks
according to the NEP (1997) are given below:

ƒ Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diving & snorkelling

Poor diving and snorkelling practices may lead to adverse impact on the marine ecosystem.
Thus, the size of divers or snorkelers’ groups should be limited to avoid over-using a specific
site. It is important that all personnel are qualified. Proficiency of new divers should be verified
before allowing them to dive at fragile or difficult dive sites.

ƒ Boating
Boats should be navigated properly to avoid contact with corals, especially during low tide. Boat
engines must also be maintained and inspected regularly to avoid oil leaks and spills. Boat hulls
must be kept clean to minimize drag. For example, Table 2 shows potential ecotourism activities
at marine parks as proposed in the ecotourism guidelines, compared to mass tourism activities.

13
 TABLE 2. Potential marine ecotourism activities vs. marine tourism activities
MARINE ECOTOURISM ACTIVITIES MARINE TOURISM ACTIVITIES
• Boating (expedition cruising, sea kayaking, • Travelling on large cruise ships
canoeing, ocean rafting) • Jet skiing
• Diving and snorkelling • Windsurfing
• Wildlife watching • Sport fishing (consumption)
• Visiting coastal communities • Sailing
• Visiting coastal cultural monuments • Beachcombing (searching for shells and
• Coastal hiking and reef walking removing them from the beach
• Coastal camping • Surfing
• Underwater photography • and others
• Nature walks
• and others

ƒ Anchoring
Anchors and chains from boats can destroy fragile coral environments and also cause extensive
physical damage to reefs. Thus, mooring buoys should be used where available and anchors must
not be dropped onto the coral reef areas.

ƒ Fish feeding
Fish feeding may disturb normal feeding patterns and cause stress as the food introduced may
not be part of the normal diet. This could alter fish behaviour and have an impact on the
ecological balance of species on the reef. Thus, fish feeding should be well supervised and
conducted by the staff. Fish should not be fed directly by hand, instead it should be broadcasted
into the water. If possible, people should not be in the water when feeding fish.

ƒ Turtle watching
Four species of marine turtles nest on our beaches. It is a tragedy and is upsetting that all these
species are threatened with extinction. Thus, visitors are not allowed to disturb turtles nesting
and should be aware about all the restrictions on access to turtle nesting.

14
4.0 PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH MARINE PARKS
4.1 Issues facing the marine parks
The quality of the marine environment is essential to the ecotourism industry and unregulated
tourism development can involve many activities that have adverse environmental effects.
Negative impact from tourism occurs when the level of visitor use is greater than the
environment's ability to cope with this use within the marine parks’ limits of acceptable change
or carrying capacity (Hardin, 1977). If not properly regulated, the tourism industry has three
main impacts, which are: depletion of natural resources, pollution and harmful physical impact.
Some of the main factors contributing to environmental problems in our marine parks are listed
below:

¾ Overcrowding and lack of awareness among visitors:

The number of tourists visiting the marine park islands has been increasing over the years.
Overcrowding of visitors into the marine parks has been the main culprit of the various
accumulated impact on the marine parks’ ecosystem. This is mainly due to the difficulty in
briefing all the visitors on the dos and don’ts while visiting the marine parks. For example, much
of the corals on Pulau Payar were damaged as a result of the overwhelming presence of tourists,
as the travel operators allowed between 600 and 700 tourists on the island at one time. Diving
operators thought only about profits and filling up their boats without worrying about the
carrying capacity of the island. In the end, the beaches were overcrowded with snorkelers and
divers who accidentally step onto the corals, indirectly causing the environment to degrade. All
this has caused the island to become ‘sick’ due to neglect and lack of proper enforcement of the
ecotourism guidelines. Its sorry state, including the pressure of 14 chalets on the island that have
been abandoned since 2002, has prompted the State Government to conduct an immediate study
on the health of the island’s natural environment (New Straits Times, 15/9/2005).

Another good example of the effects of uncontrolled mass tourism is on Sipadan Island. The
conservation of this island has not been maintained to the appropriate standard. On one hand,
there is a push to bring in the tourist dollar (particularly foreigners who have more spending
power) but on the other, little is done to protect the precious biodiversity which is its main

15
attraction (Star, 23/2/2005). Many problems are caused mainly because of the low awareness of
environmental issues among tourists, coastal communities and the other stakeholders
(hotel/resort operators, dive operators, tour guides and boat operators). Indeed, the removal of all
resorts from the island was a very positive move to allow the island to recover from the
exhausting role of playing host to hundreds of visitors over the last 15 years. Nevertheless,
without the basic amenities, divers are still landing on this island up to now, causing its
environment to further degrade gradually.

The similar conditions apply to the turtles nesting on the islands in Terengganu and Sabah
leading to its near extinction, mainly due to overcrowding of the beach areas with visitors and
coastal development activities. Also, the fish feeding activity conducted in most of the marine
parks may also disturb their normal feeding patterns and cause stress as the food introduced may
not be part of the normal diet. This could alter fish behaviour and have an impact on the
ecological balance of species on the reef, especially in Pulau Payar which is famous for its shark
feeding attraction.

¾ Environmental degradation:
The negative impact of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources
on which it very much depends. On many of the marine park islands, amenities such as hotels
and chalets have been developed and activities like scuba diving and snorkelling are introduced
in the surrounding protected waters to promote ecotourism (Mohammed Mohd. Daud, 1999).
Thus, without proper environmental responsibility among visitors, resort/chalet operators and
other stakeholder; a great deal of destruction is done to the environment. For instance, Table 3
shows a summary of the tourism stakeholders and the impact of unmanaged ecotourism practices
in the marine parks.

An increasing tourist population also demands more freshwater. This can result in water
shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste
water. This has been a contributing factor to the degradation of the corals in most of the islands.
Additionally, the inefficient sewage treatment system on the islands has also contributed to

16
environmental degradation. Nutrient runoff has been a significant threat to reefs in the parks,
particularly near large population centres. Tourist boat activities have also caused problems to
the surroundings. Coral is damage by anchors, discarded refuse, divers and snorkellers and
chemical factors from nutrient runoffs; while minimal at some of the sites, are likely to be
significant within the parks and will increase with increased tourism.

¾ Effect of land development on coral health:

Sedimentation is one of the main problems resulting from land development. As more
development and land clearing activities have been taking place on the islands and on the
mainland, so has sedimentation been on the rise. Many resorts/chalets are built on the islands to
compensate for the ever raising number of visitors. Not only this, the construction of general
tourism infrastructure and facilities such as roads and airports, golf courses and marinas, can also
be linked to over-development activities on the marine parks. For example, development of
marinas can cause changes in currents and coastlines; indirectly harming the coral reefs there. In
development activities, various characteristics of the marine parks are not considered. Some of
these islands are small, for example Perhentian Island which is only 15 sq km in size and yet is
one of the major island ecotourism destinations in Malaysia with the most number of
chalets/resorts (Terengganu Economic Planning Unit, 2004).

Some islands have also experienced the mushrooming of small resorts from over the time,
especially in Pasir Panjang and Teluk Dalam area in Redang Marine Park. The island
development has led to sedimentation impact on the reefs. Sedimentation at high concentrations
can kill the coral colonies, decrease water visibility and discourages snorkellers and divers over
the long term.

¾ Lack of coordination:
The other problematic issue with the marine park islands is the lack of coordination among the
Federal and the State governments. Also there are often conflicting targets and mandates within
State government and the managing body of the marine parks, formerly the Fisheries Department
and presently under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE). This kind of

17
problem is highlighted by the case of Pulau Tioman and Pulau Payar development plans. Despite
opposition by various parties and NGOs, the marina project construction in Pulau Tioman and
the chalet complex construction in Pulau Payar were still approved. The same goes for a similar
dual style management in other parks in the Peninsular, where large-scale tour operations are
represented by the SEDC (State Economic Development Corporation) and the small-scale tour
operations, run mostly by foreigners leasing land from local inhabitants. In contrast, Sabah and
Sarawak manage their own marine park areas and have the mandate to control activities both in
the terrestrial and marine portions, thus providing integrated and effective site planning and
management practices.

¾ Lack of enforcement:
There are shortages of staff both in terms of numbers and professional levels to carry out
enforcement in the marine parks. This is especially during peak visiting periods, such as school
holidays or public holidays. As a result, there is also concern for the lack of continuous
monitoring in the marine parks. Thus, it is difficult to regulate ecotourism guidelines in the
marine parks, causing illegal encroachments in their waters. Moreover, there is also no definite
role played by the National Advisory Council for Marine Parks and Marine Reserves (NAC) and
in handling issues concerning marine parks.

18
 TABLE 3. Tourism stakeholders & impacts of unmanaged ecotourism guidelines in the marine parks
(adapted from Lee, 2001 and Elizabeth, 2001)
TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS
ROLE & ACTIVITIES
Tourist
Tourists create threats to marine
ecosystems through activities such
as snorkelling and diving.
Trained tour guides/boat
operators
Tour guides and boat operators take
tourists to snorkelling sites.
They have important roles in
promoting awareness for marine
conservation through briefing on
reef etiquette, and warning tourists
on the Do’s and Don’ts in marine
parks.
They also play significant roles in
issues related to waste-management,
boat operation, noise pollution, fuel
consumption and maintenance
practices.
DIRECT IMPACTS
OR THREATS
Physical damage to marine
ecosystem
Trampling on corals
due to poor buoyancy skills and
snorkelling practice (fins are
sometimes used as protection from
corals by tourists)
Underwater photographers
destroying corals
causes damage as they struggle to
achieve the right angle, or lure fish
with food
Picking corals
due to lack of awareness of reef
etiquette
Spear fishing
due to lack of awareness of reef
etiquette
Physical damage to marine
ecosystem,
This is due to poor boating practice
and the lack of mooring buoys,
especially during peak seasons or
overcrowding.
INDIRECT IMPACT
OR THREATS
Anthropogenic impacts
Leaving trash behind at sea or on
islands
normally packed lunch boxes,
plastic bottles and plastic bags used
for fish feeding
Living on the islands
generating waste (solid & water) as
guest of chalets and hotels
Sunscreen oil
pollutes the water and harms corals
and marine life
Physical damage to marine
ecosystem
Incomplete briefing to tourists about
reef etiquette
result in tourists breaking the
regulations of marine parks, mainly
due to over crowding (difficulties in
control)
Casual attitude towards tourists
breaking regulations
rendering regulations ineffective
Sometimes causing pollution or
breaking rules
Irresponsible operators dump
sewage or garbage into the water,
anchor in the park areas or uses TBT
paints for their boats; and fishermen
violate the rules by fishing in the
marine park areas.
19
 TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS
ROLE & ACTIVITIES
Dive operators
Dive operators take divers to diving
sites- marine conservation and reef
etiquette is normally included as a
component of diving course offered.
Chalet & Hotel Operators
Their impact is significant through
the discharge of waste water,
contributing nutrients to marine
ecosystems.
They also have an important role in
promoting awareness to their guests.
As most chalet operators also
package boat rides, they are able to
influence the activities of tour
guides and boat operators.
DIRECT IMPACTS
OR THREATS
Physical damage to marine
ecosystem,
This is due to poor boating practice
and the lack of mooring buoys,
especially during peak seasons.
Pollution & Eutrophication of marine
areas
INDIRECT IMPACT
OR THREATS
Physical damage to marine
ecosystem
Incomplete briefing to tourists about
reef etiquette
resulting in tourists breaking
regulations of marine parks, mainly
due to over crowding (difficulties in
controlling)
Taking inexperienced divers to
difficult / pristine sites
exposing marine ecosystem to
reckless divers. Sometimes leading
to floundering underwater, thus
stirring sediments or banging into
corals, which cause damage to the
corals and other marine life.
Anthropogenic impacts
Discharge of waste water
some of which may not meet
requirements, such as not
maintaining the septic tanks system
at the area, causing pollution and
eutrophication (smothering of corals
by algae may occur).
Open burning of solid waste
contributing to poor air quality and
also global warming
Energy Use
contributing to global warming
Causing sedimentation problems
Especially during the development
phase
Physical damage to marine
ecosystem
Incomplete briefing to tourists about
reef etiquette
resulting in tourists breaking
regulations of marine parks, mainly
due to over crowding (difficulties in
managing)
20
4.2 CASE STUDIES CONDUCTED
Supporting statistics are presented here to give the actual situation of the tourism industry.

4.2.1 Ecotourism practices in the marine parks of Peninsular Malaysia: Tourism in

Terengganu, an overview
The tourism industry has been contributing significantly to overall economic development in the
State of Terengganu (Table 4) with the increasing number of tourist arrivals in Terengganu State
(see Figure 3). In line with that, tourist arrivals to the famous marine park islands in Terengganu
has also increased over the years as shown in Figure 4 and 5.

TABLE 4. Basic overall tourism sector data for Terengganu State (Source: EPU, Terengganu)
BASIC TOURISM SECTOR DATA 1998 1999 2004
Average days of stays by foreign tourist 3 3.3 3.3
Average days of stays by domestic tourist 1.7 1.9 3
Sectoral contribution to the economy (RM million) 277.1 298.9 926.9
Number of registered tourist agents 66 70 92
Number of tourist guides 17 21 37

Overall tourists arrivals in Terengganu State

2,000,000
Number of tourists

1,500,000
Domestic tourists
1,000,000 Foreign tourists
Total
500,000

0
97

98

99

00

01

02

03

04
19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

Year

FIGURE 3. Overall tourist arrivals in State of Terengganu from year 1997-2004

(Source: Data obtained from the Economic Planning unit, Terengganu. 2005)

21
 Number of tourists visiting Pulau Perhentian

60,000

Number of tourists
50,000
40,000 Domestic tourists
30,000 Foreign tourists
20,000 Total
10,000
0
97

98

99

00

01

02

03

04
19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20
Year

FIGURE 4. Total number of tourist arrivals in Pulau Perhentian from year 1997-2004
(Source: Data obtained from the Marine Park Unit, Terengganu. 2005)

Number of tourists visiting Pulau Redang

100,000
Number of tourists

80,000
Domestic tourists
60,000
Foreign tourists
40,000
Total tourists
20,000
0
97

98

99

00

01

02

03

04
19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

Year

FIGURE 5. Total number of tourist arrivals to Pulau Redang from year 1997-2004
(Source: Data obtained from the Marine Park Unit, Terengganu. 2005)

The increasing number of tourists to the marine parks in Terengganu has caused numerous
environmental problems there, even though the State government has implemented the NEP. For
example, there has been excessive construction of resorts and chalets on the islands to fulfil
increasing demand from tourists. Startlingly, there are more hotels or chalets on some of the
islands here compared to some of the other more developed places in this State regardless of the
area size (Table 5). For instance, there are 43 hotels/chalets with 1,140 rooms on Pulau
Perhentian, only in a 15 sq km area, compared to 41 hotels/chalets with 1,747 rooms in Kuala

22
Terengganu in a 605 sq km area. Such ecologically-rich, but sensitive areas should only have
low density development. Many of the other resorts have also expanded to boost visitor numbers.
The biggest concentration of chalets can be found in Pasir Jong and Teluk Dalam on Perhentian
Besar, and Pasir Panjang on Perhentian Kecil. This is due to many small chalets that have been
mushrooming on the islands over time. Unfortunately, not all have upgraded their sewage
treatment plants, thus causing pollution to the environment.

TABLE 5. Number of hotel/ chalets in selected areas in Terengganu for year 2004
(Source: EPU, Terengganu. 2005)

LOCATION SIZE (IN SQ. KM) NUMBER OF NUMBER OF

HOTELS/CHALETS ROOMS
Kuala Terengganu 605 41 1,747
Marang 666 13 281
Dungun 2,735 16 563
Besut 1,234 15 302
Kemaman 2,536 15 669
Setiu 1,304 12 318
Hulu Terengganu 3,875 6 104
Pulau Redang 27 16 691
Pulau Kapas na 7 129
Pulau Perhentian 15 43 1,140
Pulau Tenggol na 2 25
Total 12,997 186 5,969
na: data not available

One of the most recent examples on the environmental issues that arose in Terengganu is in
Pulau Tenggol, where a clean-up team of 70 volunteer divers recently collected more than 100
kg of rubbish during a two-day cleanliness campaign on this island (New Straits Times,
08/09/2005). Pulau Tenggol, being a small island far from the mainland, is supposed to be better
preserved but, unfortunately, it is more polluted than some of the other islands in Terengganu.
They retrieved various garbage from the island’s coral reefs, which included cooking pots, frying
pans, broken plates, shoes, gas canisters, biscuit containers and many other items. Thus, it can be
seen that small scale development - if there are many of them, can collectively be more
environmentally damaging than a single big one; as the case of Pasir Panjang and the

23
surrounding island development impact on Pulau Tenggol, being a good illustration (New Straits
Times, 21/06/2005).

There is also increased pollution from oil residues with the increasing numbers of tourist boats,
contamination of water by sewage and garbage, degrading of coral reefs’ ecosystems due to boat
anchors by irresponsible snorkelers or divers, pilfering of corals caused by poor attitude among
tourists, contamination caused by detergents or sun blocks used by tourists and shortage of
freshwater as the islands are getting congested from the development process and overcrowded
by tourists over the years. Most of the boats around the islands are comprised largely of tourism
boats transporting guests between the resort developments and tourism facilities found on the
islands. This is not surprising, given the large number of resorts on some of the islands.

There also seems to be a lack of awareness among the stakeholders and the community in
conserving the environment, compared to most of the foreigners visiting these islands (personal
communication, 2005). This is as many local tourists are not willing to pay the conservation fees
upon entering the marine parks. The conservation charge was imposed from July 2003 and the
rates set are very reasonable at RM 5 for adults and RM 2.50 for children, students, pensioners
and the disabled. Most of them are not aware that all the proceeds from the fees will be credited
into the Marine Park and Marine Reserve Trust Fund and will later be used for implementation
of management, conservation, protection, enforcement, research, monitoring and education
programs within the marine parks. Moreover, there are also illegal encroachments by fishermen
in the marine park waters (Table 6 and 7).

24
 TABLE 6. Number of cases captured by the Terengganu State Marine Park Unit from the years 1997-2004
Year Total Penalties Category Type of encroachments
cases amount (RM) involved
1997 2 4,000 Tourist 2 cases of possessing spear gun

1998 7 22,700 Fishermen 6 fishing cases

Tourist 1 case of possessing spear gun

1999 4 6,500 Fishermen 3 fishing cases

Tourist 1 case of possessing spear gun

2000 nil nil nil nil

2001 2 1,500 Fisherman 1 case of anchoring in marine park area

2002 6 6,600 Fishermen 5 fishing cases

Chalet operator 1 case caught with fish-trap

2003 23 73,150 Fishermen 22 fishing cases

1 case of possessing spear gun

2004 5 16,300 Fishermen 5 fishing cases

Total 135,750 49

TABLE 7. Number of encroachments apprehended by the Terengganu State Marine Park Unit in year 2004
CAPTURE AREA TYPE OF COMPOUND AUCTION VALUE (RM)
NET (RM)
Pulau Yu Besar Trawl net 1,000 0
Pulau Lima, Pulau Redang Trawl net 4,100 100
Teluk Kurma, Pulau Perhentian Trawl net 4,700 150
Tanjong Tokong, Pulau Redang Trawl net 5,500 0
Tanjung Tukas, Pulau Perhentian Besar Trawl net 1,000 50
Total amount of auction (RM) 16,300 300
(Source: Marine Park Unit, Terengganu. 2005)

25
In addition to all of this, most of the chalet resorts on the islands rely on septic tanks and these
may be inadequate or unsuitable for these islands. With more than 150 visitors a day, there is
high loading of the septic tanks. If not properly maintained, the possibility of contamination of
the water column might occur. There is also the danger of contaminating drinking water when
groundwater is being extracted for use at the chalets. Many of the abandoned septic tanks could
sometimes overflow, resulting in sewage entering the sea, especially when it rains. The excessive
sewage into the water column will act as nutrients in the water; fuelling growth of phytoplankton
and algae, which compete with corals for light and space on reefs. The increase in eutrophication
can lead to an increase in macroalgal production (Geoffrey, 2000). Nutrients are important in the
water body, but overloading of nutrients can have many negative effects. A study was conducted
in the Pulau Redang Marine Park (Pinang Island), which showed that an increase in nutrient
concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus), due to pollution by sewage and waste from tourism
activities can lead to bloom of algae (Figure 6) (Cheryl, 2005). Thus, proper sewage systems and
runoff controls are some of the tools that could be used to control this problem.

FIGURE 6. Some pictures illustrating examples of the algae colonies found at Pulau Redang Marine Park
(Pulau Pinang) in 2004 due to increased nutrient concentrations in the water (source Cheryl, 2005)

26
4.2.2 Ecotourism practices in marine parks in East Malaysia: Tourism in Sabah, an
overview
The tourism industry has a big role in Sabah’s economic development with the increasing
number of overall tourist arrivals and receipts into the State (Figure 7).

Visitor arrivals and receipts in Sabah (1999-2004)

2,000 1,200,000 International
1,800 tourist receipts
1,600 1,000,000 (RM Mil)
Tourist receipts

Tourist arrivals
1,400 800,000 Domestic
(RM Mil)

(Number)
1,200 tourist receipts
1,000 600,000 (RM Mil)
800 International
600 400,000 tourist arrivals
400 (Number)
200,000
200 Domestic visitor
0 0 arrivals
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 (Number)
Year

FIGURE 7. Overall visitor arrivals and receipts in Sabah from 1999-2004

(Source: Data obtained from Sabah Tourism Board, 2005)

Aligned with that, the visitor arrivals, especially the foreign tourists to the main three island
parks in Sabah have increased over the years too (Figure 8-10). This can also be seen at the
famous dive sites in Sabah (Table 8).

Tourists visiting Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

160000 250000 Domestic
140000 tourists
Total number of

120000 200000
Number of
tourists

tourists

100000 150000
80000 Foreign
60000 100000 tourists
40000
50000
20000
Total
0 0 number
of
e)
19 7
98

20 9
00

20 1
20 2
20 2 3
(J 4
9

0
0
0
05 0 0
un
19

19

20

tourists

Year

FIGURE 8. Total number of tourist arrivals to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park from year 1997-2004

27
 Tourists visiting Pulau Tiga Park
2500 4500 Domestic

Numberof tourists
4000 tourists

Total number of
2000 3500
3000

tourists
1500 Foreign
2500 tourists
1000 2000
1500
1000 Total
500
500 number of
0 0 tourists

e)
97
98
99
00
01
02
03

(J 4
05 0
un
19
19
19
20
20
20
20

0
20 2
Year

FIGURE 9. Total number of tourist arrivals to Pulau Tiga Park from year 1997-2004

Tourists visiting Turtle Islands Park

14000 14000
Domestic
Number of tourists

12000 12000 tourists

Total number of
10000 10000

tourists
8000 8000 Foreign
tourists
6000 6000
4000 4000 Total
2000 2000 number of
tourists
0 0
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
05 04

y)
ul
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20 20
(J

Year

FIGURE 10. Total number of tourist arrivals to Turtle Islands Park from year 1997-2004

TABLE 8. Number of arrivals to dive site in Sabah for year 2000-2005 (Jan-Jun)
Year
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 (Jan-June)
International 9,466 9,545 11,724 12,595 19,626 10,233
Malaysian 2,061 2,425 6,117 7,567 8,532 3,741
Total 11,527 11,970 17,841 20,162 28,158 13,974

(Source: All the data were obtained from Sabah Parks, 2005)

28
However, the increasing number of visitors to certain marine parks has caused problems to the
management of the environment, especially the high number of visitors to Pulau Sapi, which is
one of the closest islands to Kota Kinabalu city (Figure 11) have caused detrimental effects to the
environment. Serious pressure has been placed on the coral reefs and other marine life here, due
to the tourism and developmental activities carried out on Pulau Sapi.

Tourists visiting Sapi Island

90000 100000
Number of tourists

80000 90000

Total number of
70000 80000 Domestic
60000 70000 tourists

tourists
50000 60000
50000 Foreign
40000 40000
30000 tourists
30000
20000 20000
10000 Total
10000
0 0 number of
e) tourists
97

98

99

00

01

02

03

(J 4
05 00
un
19

19

19

20

20

20

20
20 2

Year

FIGURE 11. Total number of tourist arrivals to Pulau Sapi from year 1997-2004
(Source: Data obtained from Sabah Parks, 2005)

Furthermore, there is also a lack of awareness on the importance of conservation among the
native communities, especially the fishermen who are not aware of the effects of their actions
onto the environment. Occasionally, illegal encroachments and law violation have been recorded
in the marine parks (Table 9-11), for example, the many fish bombing cases that were caught
over the years. Blast fishing has been one of the main reasons for coral damage and decline in
large fish populations in Sabah. In order to reduce these illegal encroachments, Sabah Parks have
recruited a considerable number of rangers to constantly patrol the park areas, as well as
cooperate with the general public and the village Committee on Development and Security on
any violations of the parks (Datuk Lamri and Paul, 1997). Compared to Peninsular Malaysia,
Sabah Parks do not face problems in collecting the conservation charges, where locals are
charged RM 3 and foreign tourists are charged RM 10 (Personal communication, 2005).

29
 TABLE 9. Information on the number of fish bombing cases in Pulau Tiga Park waters from year 2000-2004
YEAR TYPE OF VIOLATION PLACE NOTE/ACTION
2000 Discovering fish bomb making Pulau Kalampunian The offender ran away before any action could be
materials Kecil taken

One case of catching fish using fish Pulau Kalampunian Police report was launched at the Kuala Penyu Police
bombing method Kecil Station and this matter was handed over to the Kuala
Penyu Fisheries Department for further action

One case of catching fish using fish Pulau Tiga Police report was launched at the Kuala Penyu Police
bombing method Station and this matter was handed over to the Kuala
Penyu Fisheries Department for further action

2001 Two cases of catching fish using fish Pulau Tiga The offender ran away before any action could be
bombing method were traced taken

2002 One case of catching fish using fish Pulau Tiga The offender ran away before any action could be
bombing method taken

2004 Two cases of catching fish using fish Pulau Tiga The offender ran away before any action could be
bombing method were caught in the taken
act. Fish bomb making materials
were found. A lot of fish found dead
at the scene

(Source: Sabah Parks, 2005)

TABLE 10. Information on the number of fish bombing cases in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park from year 2000-2004
YEAR LAW INTRUSIONS AREA NOTE/ACTION
2000 One case of catching fish using Teluk Kuari, The offender ran away before any action could be taken
fish bombing method Pulau Gaya

2001 One case of catching fish using Police Beach, The offender was caught and action was taken by the Kota
fish bombing method. Pulau Gaya Kinabalu Court

One case of catching fish using Police Beach, The offender ran away before any action could be taken
fish bombing method. A lot of Pulau Gaya
fish found dead at the scene

2002 One case of catching fish using Teluk Kuari, The offender ran away before any action could be taken
fish bombing method Pulau Gaya

2003 Two cases of catching fish using Police Beach, For the first case, the offender could not be prosecuted due to
fish bombing method were traced Pulau Gaya insufficient proof. The explosives were thrown into the sea

Police Beach, For the second case, a lot of fish found dead at the scene. The
Pulau Gaya offender ran away before any action was taken

2004 One case of catching fish using Pulau Gaya The offender ran away before any action could be taken
(up to fish bombing method traced. 15
October) kg of fish were caught in the
action.

30
 TABLE 11. Information on the number of fish bombing cases in Turtle Island waters from year 2000-2004
YEAR LAW INTRUSIONS PLACE
2000 to 2004 No fish bombing incidence caught during this period -

(Source: Sabah Parks, 2005)

Sabah Parks has taken various steps to address the environmental issues. Sabah Parks is planning
to promote the islands with fewer visitors, such as the Manukan Island (Figure 12) and by
opening more islands to sustainable ecotourism practices, to lessen the impact of overcrowding.
Sabah Parks is currently using an intensive zoning system in their marine parks for an enhanced
management of the environment too. They also recognise the fact that an informed community
will promote conservation and the sustainable use of the marine park assets and help to ensure
the marine parks management meets ecotourism guidelines. Thus, their staffs are required to
learn foreign languages for better communication purposes. All the tour guides operating in
Sabah Marine Parks are trained by various agencies, including the Ministry of Tourism and
Sabah Parks and they are certified.

Tourists visiting Manukan Island

60000 100000
Number of tourists

Domestic
Total number of

50000 80000 tourists

40000
tourists

60000
30000 Foreign
40000
20000 tourists
10000 20000
0 0 Total
number of
e)
19 7
19 8
99

20 0
20 1
20 2
03
(J 04
9
9

0
0
0

tourists
un
19

20

05 20
20

Year

FIGURE 12. Total number of tourist arrivals to Pulau Manukan from year 1997-2004
(Source: Data obtained from Sabah Parks, 2005)

Unlike in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah Parks enjoys authority over the park areas and has the
mandate to control activities both in the terrestrial and marine portions. Parks in Sabah are
therefore protected from harmful land-based activities to some extent, and are thus more
effectively managed, for conservation than the parks in Peninsular Malaysia. With good

31
coordination in their development plans, such as a sustainable number of resorts/chalets built in
the park (see Table 12). Sabah Parks concentrates on three aspects of management: tourist
activities and development, enforcement of Parks Enactment, and Regulations and Legislation
(personal communication, 2005). Furthermore, Sabah Parks is working towards the privatisation
of tourism facilities and services on the islands for a better burden-sharing ecotourism
management based on the NEP. As such, Sabah Parks adopted a case-by-case approach as listed:
• Lease of Assets- involves transfer of rights to use the assets for a time period in return for
a specified amount of payment.
• Management Contract- involves the contracting of private sector management expertise
to manage the chalets and other facilities for a fee, but does not require the transfer of
assets.
• Built-Operate Transfer (BOT) - involves privatisation of new projects. The private sector
will use its own fund in construction and operate it for a specified time, before
transferring it to the parks at the end of the agreed period.
• Formation of a New Company- can be considered, but this is subjected to the limitation
of the Parks Enactment.

These moves could relieve the Parks of financial and administrative burdens. It will also increase
efficiency and productivity in providing better management. Most significantly, privatisation
would shift the obligation of Sabah Parks to fully concentrate on conservation of the parks’
resources (Datuk Lamri and Paul, 1997).

TABLE 12. Resorts operating on the islands gazetted under Sabah Parks

PARK RESORT OPERATOR NO. OF CHALETS/RESORTS SIZE (SQ KM)

Tunku Abdul
Rahman Kinabalu Nature Resort Sdn. Bhd.
(Sutera Sanctuary Lodges)
Turtle Island Crystal Quest Sdn. Bhd.
Pulau Tiga
Sipadan Dive Centre
Neutral Bay Sdn. Bhd.
(Source: Sabah Parks, 2005)
50.0
One resort
20 chalets (80 persons/night)
One resort
17.4
3 chalets (50 persons/night)
Two resorts
158.0
23 units standard chalets
10 units superior chalets
1 longhouse of 6 rooms
(6-8 persons sharing per room)
under construction: 20 units chalets
and 1 unit of longhouse

32
4.3 Comparison of ecotourism practices
TABLE 12. The main differences between the marine parks’ ecotourism management between Peninsular Malaysia
(Terengganu) compared to East Malaysia (Sabah):
TERENGGANU
- Dual system management involving the Federal
and State government practiced, making site
planning and management plans difficult to
handle due to conflict between the interests of
various stakeholders. To a certain extent, the
National Advisory Council for Marine Parks
and Marine Reserves (NAC) and the State
Marine Park Management Committee (MPB)
does not seem to be playing its defined role.
- Increasing number of visitors without control
has damaged the sensitive areas through the
continuous building of large number of
chalets/resorts and other facilities on the
islands.
- There exists socio-economic involvement of
local indigenous communities in the ecotourism
sector to some extent.
- The level of awareness among tourists (mostly
locals) is still poor - still facing illegal
encroachment activities and having difficulty in
collecting the conservation charge.
- Lack of personnel for enforcement or to patrol
the area more often.
- Communication gap might exist
between the officers/staffs and foreign
tourists, causing problem in conveying
information.
SABAH
- Sabah Parks manages the marine park areas and
has the mandate to control activities both in the
terrestrial and marine environments, thus
providing integrated and effective site planning
and management practices.
- Increasing number of tourists is occurring too.
But, the chalets/resorts are properly operated
with the move to privatising tourism facilities
and services in order to provide better
management. This has shifted the obligation of
Sabah Parks to fully concentrate on
conservation aspects.
- Most of the operators in the parks are
foreigners (not from the local community).
- The awareness level among tourists (mostly
foreigner visitors received by the parks) is quite
high – no problem in collecting the
conservation charge.
- Rangers are recruited to constantly patrol the
park areas. In addition, Sabah Parks also relies
on information from the general public and the
village’s Committee on Development and
Security on any violations of the parks.
- Requiring the officers/staffs to learn
foreign languages by Sabah Parks
authority is a good move towards
better communication purposes.
33
5.0 GAP ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
It is shown in this study that there are some concerns that need to be addressed for the
ecotourism practices in our marine parks. Many efforts to better understand ecotourism, as well
as to improve its planning, management and marketing techniques have been carried out by the
government and other stakeholders. However, efforts still seem to be inadequate. There are still
disturbing issues on the dreadful conditions of the islands, which do not reflect sustainable
ecotourism practices based on proposed guidelines. Thus, based on ecotourism definitions [given
in Part 1.2] and the general guidelines for management of the marine parks [listed in Part 3.2], an
assessment of the gaps present in ecotourism practices for the marine parks are discussed here:

5.1 Research findings

Taking from the sustainable ecotourism practices as given in the NEP and Martha Honey’s
definitions, this project has delineated several gaps in the ecotourism practices in our marine
parks (see Table 13):

TABLE 13. Sustainable ecotourism policies compared to actual ecotourism practices in the marine parks
SUSTAINABLE ECOTOURISM POLICIES GENUINE ECOTOURISM PRACTICES IN OUR
MARINE PARKS

Involves travel to relatively undisturbed natural Most marine parks have been disturbed ecologically by
destinations. various human activities. For example, litter, living
accommodation, access routes and other tourism
infrastructure impose great stress on the ecology.
It should minimize impact and promote conservation. Harmful environmental impact has been increasing due
to uncontrolled development activities.
It builds environmental awareness among tourists. There is still a lack of awareness on conservation issues
among tourists (especially among the locals).
It involves small groups of tourists at a time. There have been rapid increases in the number of
tourists to most of the islands without any control being
imposed by the relevant authorities, except for Pulau
Sipadan and recently Pulau Payar.
It should provide direct financial benefits for the local This sector provides more job opportunities to
people. foreigners, especially in Sabah.

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Successful ecotourism practices should entail the maximisation of the environmental and
economic benefits, while minimising any ecological damage to the surrounding. However,
ecotourism here is just as damaging as mass tourism. All the negative effects have arisen from
the presence and activities of tourists themselves as stated below:
ƒ Firstly, the main activities in marine park islands such as snorkelling and diving, damage
corals, particularly by irresponsible tourists.
ƒ Secondly, the demand for accommodation has resulted in a concentration of
chalets/resorts in unsuitable areas and unnecessary development of facilities such as the
new airport and marina in Pulau Tioman, and the chalet complex in Pulau Payar.
ƒ Thirdly, the presence of tourist facilities places high demand on limited water resources
and is in direct conflict with ecotourism. For example, golf courses require the
establishment of artificial ecosystems that use up scarce water supplies, besides applying
a large amount of fertilizers and pesticides.
ƒ Lastly, most of the marine park islands are still lacking proper sewage and solid waste
disposal systems, which have caused various levels of pollution.

The main environmental problems in the marine parks are caused by the rapidly increasing
number of tourists and also the separated jurisdictional power between the Federal and State
authority, especially in Peninsular Malaysia. The sea cannot be considered in isolation from land
and all the development activities that occur on land are intrinsically linked to the health and
long-term sustainable use of the marine resources in accordance with Integrated Coastal Zone
Management. The carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change of these islands should also
be considered when attracting visitors. The number of visitors to some of these islands should be
reduced to improve environmental conditions. Although this could affect our economy at
present, it nevertheless is very important in order to continuously obtain revenue from this
industry on a long term basis. The environment is the backbone of ecotourism. Thus, profitability
in tourism depends on maintaining the attractiveness of tourist destinations with pleasant
environments.

It is also important to understand that the NEP guidelines are not ‘stand-alone’ guidelines as it is
too generic to impact on actual management of tourism in Marine Parks. As such, it should be
implemented in combination with the other guidelines, policies or laws on coastal development
for best tourism practices. The conservation efforts can be made possible through legislation and
guidelines that include the Fisheries Act, 1985; The Environmental Quality Act, 1974; Control of

35
Development in the Coastal Zone, 1987; and guidelines for development Planning in the Coastal
Zone, 1997 to mention just a few (MIMA unpublished, 2001). At the same time, there is a need
to support the guideline with site-specific management plans that would address in greater detail
the issues affecting the parks and how they can be addressed. The government should look into
this matter, as well as re-study the functions of the NAC and MPB too.

6.0 CONCLUSION
The trend of increasing visitor numbers to Malaysia’s Marine Parks is expected to continue,
particularly with the successful promotion of nature tourism by the Malaysian Government and
various other steps taken to attract tourists. However, it would not be recommended to further
increase tourism development and other related activities in some of the major marine park
islands.

Thus, the relevant stakeholders should start carrying out certain moves to address these gaps.
This could be done by stricter enforcement of regulations, restricting the total number of visitors
to the park, controlling the number of dive groups, restricting large groups of visitors to certain
areas of the park, increasing the frequency of patrols around the marine park area, increasing the
number of staff or officers on duty, putting up more boards sign on dos and don’ts, designing
zones for various recreational activities and enforcement of stricter controls on development
projects on the marine parks. Greater emphasis should be placed on the enforcement of
regulations designed to protect marine resources, protection of marine biodiversity and in
management of the shoreline development. Examples of best ecotourism practices from selected
countries like Australia, Costa Rica and Cuba can also be applied in Malaysia.

It is hoped that the insights given in this paper on the problems in managing ecotourism
guidelines based on the National Ecotourism Plan will stir some reaction and action among the
relevant stakeholders in the management of the marine parks, to work towards improving the
ecotourism industry, towards a more sustainable improvement of the marine parks.

36
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