I LAUD the authorities for their painstaking efforts to curtail the oil slick that appeared at Pantai Cermin three days ago.
I understand that the cause of the 2km slick is still under investigation.
I hope that the cause will be determined soon, and immediate action taken to prevent future environmental disasters.
Port Dickson has been ravaged for far too long by lopsided and unnecessary development and reclamation. This is reflected by the number of abandoned buildings, white elephants and half-completed projects there.
A number of these projects, I believe, are tainted by corruption.
The fragile ecosystems surrounding Port Dickson have been damaged – some lost – due to unscrupulous developers and questionable government policies.
Let this oil slick be the last environmental accident Port Dickson faces.
If the cause was accidental, we need to find out why it happened and how we can prevent a recurrence.
The parties that caused it, even if unintentionally, must be accountable and do what is necessary to remedy the situation without burdening taxpayers, who have already paid over half a million ringgit to mitigate the slick.
If it was deliberate, then the culprits must be identified and made to feel the full brunt of the law. They are environmental terrorists, and must be treated as such.
I am constantly monitoring the remedial works and will meet the authorities for updates. In the meantime, the rehabilitation of Port Dickson must be stepped up so that it can return to its former glory and realise its full potential as a tourist destination and seaside town.
Let Port Dickson be the template for the return to glory of the other great tourist towns of Malaysia, ensuring wealth creation and opportunity for all.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is Port Dickson MP
