THE rapid growth of Malaysia’s ports has left a lasting impact on the coastal environment with rampant pollution and poor seawater quality among the effects, said environmentalists.

They blame human error and lack of maintenance of vessels as the main factors for the damage to the sea and coast.

They denounced the government for lax law enforcement, which had allowed ships to discard rubbish in the country’s waters, and for its sluggishness in making changes to protect the environment.

Association for the Protection of Natural Heritage (Peka) vice-president Sophine Tann pointed to the September 14 oil spill at the Pasir Gudang Port in Johor as an example of the government’s neglect.

“Since the Pasir Gudang Port oil spill, have you heard of any treatment of the affected environment, or any repercussion for the operators of the responsible vessel?

“Did they announce in-depth plans and system to prevent the same from happening in the future? Nothing, right?

“Why didn’t the government take any action against the perpetrators?” 

The Marine Department said it jointly conducted an investigation with the Johor Port Authority into the oil spill and that the damage was brought under control on the same day.

It did not say which area was contaminated and the cost to clean up.

10 years behind

According to a source in a maritime company, Malaysia has been slow in taking steps to protect the environment.

He said in the past 10 years, many countries have boosted protection of the waters, reduced the risk of major oil pollution accidents, and improved the safety and anti-pollution technology of domestic tankers.

Singapore, for example, banned single-hull and single-deck tankers from its waters 10 years ago, the reason being the catastrophic impact of an oil spill from a single-hull tanker on the ecology.

The source, who works in bunkering, or the supplying of fuel for vessels, said Malaysia has only now decided to ban such vessels.

The Malaysian Insight learnt the Marine Department issued a circular on August 5 prohibiting single-hull single-bottom tankers from being registered and carrying heavy-grade oil (HGO) in the country’s waters.

The same tankers are allowed to operate but should not be more than 25 years old. Their mooring limit is 20 nautical miles from land.

There is no lifespan limit on double-hull double-bottom tankers, which can be registered in the country as cargo transport.

The government must beef up environmental protection policies while businesses must shoulder the responsibility of guarding national interests while making a profit, said the source.

“If there is an oil spill and the port cannot operate, the shipping company can claim damages for delays. In other words, the government must bear all the losses and compensation claims.”

Because of Malaysia’s strategic location and cheaper port fees, more ultra-large oil tankers have chosen to berth at its ports but the risk of crude oil leakage has increased in tandem. 

A Marine Department official admitted single-hull and single-bottom tankers should have been banned a long time ago.

A single-hull single-bottom tanker was still docked at Port Klang, but it was not carrying any oil, he said.

Any oil tanker may berth at the port as long as the port fees are paid, he said. It is up to the law enforcement agency to take action if it is found to be illegal, he added.

According to data from the department, there are six single-hull tankers registered with the bureau.

Crimes in the sea

Tann of Peka said the issue was not the model of tanker but its maintenance, adding that the crews must be trained for the job.

She said though laws and regulations are drafted, they are of no use without enforcement.

“I’m sure the government has strict laws and regulations to protect the sea and the coast but where is the implementation of these laws?

“Why aren’t the federal and the state governments being more stringent with ships dumping their waste into Malaysian waters?

“Are they dumping their waste in our waters because it does not matter to us while they cannot afford to do it in the waters of Singapore?

“Is this what we want? Otherwise the people should question the federal and state governments’ lack of law enforcement.”

She urged the authorities to disclose the details of every oil spill because the people have the right to know as they’re the ones who ultimately suffer from the effects of environmental pollution.

Fellow Peka vice-president Saha Deva said it is the government’ duty to take the necessary action to mitigate the pollution of estuaries and the coastlines which are crucial to marine ecology.

“These contaminations eventually end up in the food chain and may have adverse effects on public health.” – October 7, 2020.