KOTA KINABALU, Jan 20 — The new state tourism, culture and environment minister Datuk Christina Liew said today she will look into details of a controversial sand dredging project to reclaim the iconic Tanjung Aru beachfront here.
Liew, who had criticised the Tanjung Aru Eco Development when she was in the Opposition, said that she had been reading news about the project online and would like to find out more.
"I will need to study it further, I am a bit confused. I saw some news about it but will need to find out more before I can comment on it to be fair,” she said, adding that she was only three days into the post.
Liew, who is Api Api assemblyman, had in 2017 criticised plans for Tanjung Aru Eco Development — a project mooted by the Barisan Nasional government — saying that the development would be better suited to other parts of the state and the prime beachfront area should belong to the public.
When she became deputy chief minister in 2018 under the Warisan Plus government, also under the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, she initiated efforts to clean up the beach area and facilities and organised community events at the park to promote public engagement.
Now, seven years since the project was first mooted, and under the current Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government, reclamation plans have been approved without development plans or public knowledge.
The state had reportedly entered into a 15-year sand dredging contract to mine some 153 million cubic metres of sand from an area northwest of the state capital, raising eyebrows and concerns for the park, now no longer public.
The state government has had a shoreline reserve on all coastal areas that prevents developments and private ownership, while stating there would be no more reclamation for development.
