Batu Feringghi To Disappear Forever Due To Erosion? Activists Want Penang Gov’t To Take Action Quick
Sahabat Alam Malaysia researcher Mageswari Sangaralingam said that Batu Feringghi’s beachfront is dwindling in size.
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The Penang state government had been urged to find the cause that leads to the decrease in size of the popular tourist attraction, Batu Ferringhi beach.
This is amid concern of aggressive erosion surrounding the area, with a Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) researcher, Mageswari Sangaralingam, stating that the situation at the popular beach is dreadful.
“How critical is the erosion now, and are reclamation projects contributing to this, as members of the public have voiced their suspicion that the coastal erosion is a result of reclamation?” Mageswari was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.
She also urged the state government to provide information on the state of erosion on the beach.
According to Mageswari, the reclamation project and climate change had worsened the situation.
The report stated that several beach workers also said that they had noticed that the trees and other structures along the shores had been impacted by the dwindling down of the beach size, with some 30 trees uprooted since early last year.
Meanwhile, Penang state executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari said that the authorities have begun restoring certain parts of the beach which was affected by erosion since January.
This, according to Zairil, includes a 20m stretch near Golden Sands Resort and another 180m from the resort last month.
He added that work on another 180m stretches would begin next month with the restoration work being supervised by the Penang drainage and irrigation department.
“As for the Rasa Sayang section, the resort has engaged a consultant to study a mitigation plan for further action,” he told the news portal.
The 2km-long beach is popular among the locals and tourists alike with hundreds of people visiting the beach daily, especially during weekends.
However, in recent times, there have been multiple reports of erosion impacting the Batu Feringghi beachfront.
In January this year, a 10m-long civil defence force (APM) watchtower at Batu Ferringhi beach collapsed after a high tide had eroded parts of the beach.
Just last week, The Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa Pinang Restaurant and Bar, located along the Batu Feringghi beach, had been closed until further notice as strong waves and erosion caused the restaurant’s floor to be buried with sand.
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