Investigate and stop the Arowana culture project in Bukit Merah

CAP urges the Perak State Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry to thoroughly investigate the Arowana culture project in Bukit Merah in Kerian District.   We had previously revealed that laws were being flouted since the project commenced 10 years ago. The Arowana culture project in a productive rice-growing area has also brought about negative impacts to the environment and livelihood of the local communities.

Berita Harian and the Star of 21 March 2012 reported that the Managing Director of Bukit Merah Aquaculture Sdn Bhd has been charged of falsifying documents in a land transfer deal seven years ago connected to 36 plots of land covering 28.8 hectares belonging to 21 villagers of Kampung Selamat in Simpang Empat, Semanggol.

CAP had pointed out the breach of law and regulations by the Arowana culturists but not given serious attention by the authorities.  “We had written many official letters to the Perak state government, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Land Office and local authority in the past but the project still continued and in fact was expanded”.

In 2011, CAP had written to the Menteri Besar of Perak again urging that the project is shelved because it has potential to disrupt water supply from Bukit Merah Lake and would affect livelihood of 9,000 farmers and 200,000 domestic water users.

Besides not conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment study, the agriculture land had not been converted for industrial use. The authorities were too lenient although there were irregularities including violation of land use, conversion of permanent paddy production area for ornamental fish breeding, and water siphoning from irrigation canals.

In view of this, we urge the authorities to investigate and take stringent action of those who still flout the law, including government officers who were found to be in cohorts with the perpetrators.

We also reiterate our call to the Government to close the operations of the arowana culture ponds as it is detrimental to our food security, environment and livelihood of the farm community.   The Malaysian government should stop promoting aquaculture projects and take measures to ensure our granary and food-growing areas are permanently protected to guarantee food supply for us all.

Press Statement, 22 March 2012