Fishing and Rubbish at Mengkuang Dam (Part IV)

When I highlighted the Penang National Park on the dirtiness sometime ago, I was taken to task by some. The park authority tried to take action by calling up the Education Dept. to take discipinary action. Some even commented that since I was good at finding faults, I might as well take over the Superintendent's post! (a kind of sarcastic comment). However, I am glad that Penang National Park at Pantai Kerachut is now VERY CLEAN! (as reported from my friend).

Now, I am out of job....perhaps someone can recommend that I take over the post of water's engineer....but alas....forgot to tell you....I belong to the 2nd grade citizen and in no way I will be eligible.....

Continuing the issue on Mengkuang Dam - Part IV (Fishing and Rubbish)

Mengkuang Dam is well kept. Clean and beautiful too..... ayoyo....surface only mah! People called showroom loh! To show only lah. Cannot see inside one ok? But deep inside do you know? Let me share with you my adventure.....

This was the first extensive anglers' beach. Nice shade and of course rubbish....

This remind me of the rubbish dump! It is a poor sight. Well, I probably could guess that this area is never frequented by tourists....so who cares!!

No swimming and fishing on hill slope. Of course all angers are obedient lot and they did not swim or fish on hill but they can swim or fish in the dam as there are no such sign near the water! Note the wear and tear of the signboard.

"Hi signboard why are you hiding inside?" "Sorry, I am camera shy lah!"

"Hi man you cannot fish and swim on tree!" says the signboard. "Ok, I will fish and swim at the dam loh! Can park motorcycle here huh?" "Of course can, lu punya bapa punya jalan lah"

Nice picnic area. Also nice place to throw rubbish.

Nice place to fish too. Picture was taken on Saturday around 10 am. There would be more anglers later in the day and on Friday and Sunday. Friday for those from Kedah while Sunday for Penangites - fishing also got shift mah!

More rubbish. Note the remains of a campfire on the bottom right of this picture.

As we went deeper into the forest, the scenario was the same - rubbish! fishing! swimming?

Clean, clear water..but look at the rubbish.

Nice shape to do fishing. Good recreational area. But look at the rubbish!

Styrofoam and plastic bags can be seen.

This is a campsite by the dam. We found a newspaper dated on Friday. We were there on Saturday. So I presumed the anglers had left earlier before we arrived around 1pm. There was a campfire patch on the ground. A big campfire can easily be seen from afar. I wonder whether there is anyone making any rounds. Trees were chopped down to make beds. All these were in catchment area.! I wondered how these guys "cuci" themselves after they "bikin the kueh!" You tell me!

War Zone at National Park

Who don't know that the government's duty is to develop?

Develop it must but it was on the expense of nature.

And then when certain officials neglected their duties, we the citizens have to pay for more development.

At Kuala Koh

Already the canopy walk had been closed. A new one to replace the depleted canopy is under negotiation. The bridge across the river was locked unless a ranger accompany you. This has been the 3rd bridge built after the 2 previous bridges were washed away by floods. Trails were overgrown and inaccessible to trekkers. And so there are not much activities one can do at Kuala Koh except fishing.

The Locals

And so eco-tourists avoided this part of the National Park. The local nature guides were without guiding assignments. And to supplement their income, they become boatmen ferrying anglers to fishing locations. Anglers are welcome but eco-tourists are left without much to do.

Previously - 2004

Back then in 2004 under different supertainent, chalets and hostels were neglected. Fungi and mosses were seen on pillows, blankets and mattresses. Fans were thick with soot. The canopy walk was useable then but lack upkeep. Thing was messy. Tourists avoided this place for lack of maintainence on the accomodations. I avoided it for more than two years.

Now - 2007

Lodging is now privatised. Chalets and hostels are now conducive to sleep. The food at the canteen is now palatable. But tourists are not coming. They are not coming because of lack of trekking activities. And so to increase the flow of people coming to the park, fishing was encouraged. Fishing permit is not necessary infront of the park office. Bathers could not swim at that fishing site.

War Zones

The beach infront of the park office at Kuala Koh is now like war zone.
Notice the amount of rubbish and anglers with the messy "war zone" lookalike.
The water pump intake is situated at the center of this photo. With so many anglers, I am not sure about the water quality.


I saw a plastic container drifting down the river. I wondered how many of these rubbish were dumped into the river by anglers. I believe there was no control of food wrappers taken into the park and no control of pollution.

Who is at Fault?

It is not the fault on the present park administrators. The problems were passed down from the previous park authority. To help the local guides and boatmen, fishing were widely encouraged by the present authority. Trails were not clear for nature tourists. Trekking to Kuala Pertang was cut off. Even the rubber tubing which started from Kuala Pertang was shortened to Lata Sinar. And so eco-tourists were turned away. Anglers are welcome at the expense of the fish.

Imagine a national park to encourage the destruction of fauna (ie fish). This can only happen in Bolehland! Now they have to decide between eco-tourists and anglers.

Sorry fish, your life are numbered!
People, go there to support ecotourism!