WWF sees tourism potential for Balambangan Island, Kudat

By Arman Gunsika

KOTA KINABALU - Balambangan Island located about 21km north of the Tip of Borneo in Kudat has tremendous potential to be developed for eco-tourism, according to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) executive director Dr Dionysius SK Sharma here.

He said a study conducted by Sabah Parks on four of the more than 20 limestone caves on the island revealed unique formations consisting of stalatites, stalagmites, flow stone, straw and many other speleotems, all contributing to the aesthetic value of the area.

Dr Dionysius said the caves constitute only one aspect of the island's significant biodiversity and that endemic species like snail species and slipper orchid, critically endangered tree species like seraya, rare species of pandan and orchids of horticultural importance are among the unique features of the island.

Apart from its bio-diversity, the island has much historical value, grounded in the establishment of an East India Company post by the British traders in the late 18th century.

Used as a trading settlement, the interests of the British traders in Sabah steadily grew from this outposts.

He also said archaeological findings from the Pleistocene era (the ice age) discovered by researchers from the Malaysian Archaeological Research Centre at USM in August 1977 have established human existence dating even further back.

The discovery included three prehistoric human bones and 36 artifacts made out of animal bones that may have been likely used as tools.

However, he said, the fate of Balambangan Island lies on the clinker and grinding plants of cement as part of the State government's aim of setting up an integrated Clinker Plant project to meet the cement demands in Sabah.

According to the KIA report, Balambangan Island has an estimated quarry reserve of 65.3 million metric tonnes, equivalent to over 52 years of clinker plant operation.

Local communities would benefit from employment opportunities.

Dr Dionysius said quarrying deposits the environment and rock blasting could lead to the destruction of coral reefs, which would be of no help to the tourism industry.

However the reefs off Balambangan Island are currently not on the priority list of diving enthusiasts.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin