We are sad to learn that the state government under the CM Hajiji leadership has decided to restart the reclamation project at Tanjung Aru beach. 

Not long ago in 2021, State Minister Bung Mokhtar announced that TAED would not involve any land reclamation activities. 

The agreement between TAED and Handal Borneo Resources Sdn Bhd came with a 15 years deal to sand supply and reclamation activities.

While there are still no details regarding the reclamation project from the government, it is obvious that it will follow the approved and gazetted TAED Development Local Plan. 

In the plan, we are going to see more than 444 acres of sea land to be filled and it will radically alter the natural line of the beach and replace it with man made beach for resort and golf course. 

CM Hajiji Noor explained that the reclamation deal is to expand the 22-acre Prince Philip Park to 100 acres.

Such a promise cannot be taken seriously in view of the old promises made with regard to the promised Sutera Harbour public space and the limit on the Waterfront reclamation during the BN government, of which CM Hajiji was part of the cabinet as a minister. 

These promises were either misleading or else they have been forgotten. 

We urge that CM Hajiji act to stop the reclamation deal and plan. Repeal the TAED Development Local Plan and return the land to DBKK to plan, manage and maintain. 

Under DBKK, the council incorporated the first to third beach into a single beach, which made it the biggest beach park in Sabah if not Malaysia. 

Prince Philip Park can be expanded in such a way as to allow for more health and recreation activities and also to build more public space facilities for social and community events. 

The remaining land beyond the Jalan Airport Lama can be gazetted as an extension for Tg Aru township with environment friendly and sustainable planning. 

Tanjung Aru township expansion is way better as it benefits locals than the unrealistic, oversized, over-ambitious and over-budgeted TAED plan. 

The last election showed that Tg Aru voters rejected the TAED plan. Unfortunately, the Warisan-led government did not fulfil its promise. 

The public needs to show solidarity once more, if they want to keep and protect their beach from predatory big business interests who want to take it away from them and charge exorbitant fees to enjoy for them to enjoy it.