KUALA LUMPUR – Tourists who visited Port Dickson decades ago would recall its clean, pristine beaches and ocean waters surrounded by nature.
Now, Port Dickson can only be described as an unplanned mess. While it is clearly more developed than it was decades ago, bad placements of hotels have resulted in an unsavoury atmosphere, along with overcrowded and dirty beaches.
However, Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to restore the tourist spot to its former glory by balancing environmentalism and development.
In a Facebook Live interview to reach out to his constituents, Anwar touched on the need to ensure Port Dickson remains clean.
Anwar said that the maintaining the cleanliness of Port Dickson is not only the civic duty of all Malaysians, but a religious one for Muslims, as well.
"As a Mulim and Malaysian, if we disregard the need for cleanliness, we are going against religion.
"I find it strange that these tourists litter without any care. The thing is, these tourists will come back to the beach again one day," Anwar said.
The PKR president also touched on how Thai embassy officials had come to Port Dickson’s beach to conduct cleaning activities, saying it was shameful.
However, he highlighted the fact that local authorities have been taking steps, like placing more rubbish bins in the area, to ensure cleanliness.
"There are changes and improvements, but they are not enough. We must set an example with our cleanliness habits, and authorities should consider harsher penalties for littering," he said.
With regard to small businesses operating near the beaches, Anwar said he supported such activities but also warned them to keep clean.
But the Reformasi King's plans for Port Dickson does not end with a clean environment – he wants a developed one as well.
Anwar touched on plans for the development of a university, medical and research facilities, and new hotels.
"Some steps were taken to continue and speed up approval for these projects. But we encourage those who come in to prioritise giving the local population job opportunities," Anwar said.
On the new hotels, he said development is slow now due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but he is still encouraging interested parties to continue preliminary preparations first.
"If these projects take off, it could change the face of Port Dickson," he said.
On Covid-19, Anwar urged the people to follow the rules, wear masks, practise good hygiene and abide by social-distancing SOPs.
But, he said that certain activities must be allowed to continue in a small and controlled scale.
"We continued our programmes for the constituency, like free tuition classes and legal aid. But these activities are conducted in a smaller and controlled scale, following the advice and rules by the Health Department," he said.
Anwar said that the halting of economic and educational activities would only prove detrimental in the long run, and could widen the gap between the different classes in society.
Anwar has always been vocal on Port Dickson's cleanliness and environment, especially since announcing he would stand for elections in the constituency.
He has previously been seen conducting cleaning activities on the beach during his morning run.
Anwar has also said that he aims to breathe new life into Port Dickson, bridge the gap between the rich and poor in the area, and maintain the environment for marine life. – The Vibes, December 29, 2020
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