KUANTAN, MALAYSIA: The Pahang Government is seeking help from the Federal Government to revive Tasik Chini which is dying a slow death.
The state government also wants additional allocation to repair and maintain the lake, in addition to having permanent staff to monitor the development of the lake.
State Health, Local Government and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said that besides getting the funds, there must be closer co-operation and co-ordination with other agencies such as the Land and Mines Office, Forestry, Drainage and Irrigation and Orang Asli Affairs Departments and Felda to check activities detrimental to the area.
Tasik Chini, the country's second largest freshwater lake, used to attract scores of visitors during its lotus blooming season every year but it is dying due to a number of factors including illegal mining, logging and pollution which had adversely affected the entire eco-system.
Hoh said many key proposals outlined in a recent study conducted by a team of experts from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) would be given careful consideration.
He said the state government was serious and would like to make the lake a major tourist attraction in Pahang again.
"The UKM report suggested that we seek an initial allocation of RM4mil from the Federal Government to carry out rehabilitation efforts.
"We had given our consent to the proposal during a recent state executive councillors meeting and hope to receive a favourable response," he said in an interview.
The state government, he said, would also seek additional allocations in the form of an annual grant of some RM1mil for repairs and other maintenance work in addition to the placement of permanent staff.
"I was informed that there was some illegal mining going on near the lake which may affect the eco-system.
"The relevant authorities must monitor the situation and take stern action against the culprits," he said, adding that strict enforcement had overcome the problem of illegal logging.
