Tioman Island needs no introduction as a picturesque gem nestled in the South China Sea.
It is a dream destination, with its lush hilly interior cascading into crystal clear waters, creating an idyllic paradise. Sited in the heart of the Coral Triangle, it is blessed with stunning coral reefs and diverse marine life.
The island, located off the east coast of Rompin district, Pahang, is known as one of Malaysia’s most popular diving spots due its rich and beautiful underwater world. Among the popular dive sites here include Tiger Reef, Soyak, Tumok and the wrecks of KM Sipadan and Sawadee.
However, about a year from now, scuba diving enthusiasts will have the opportunity to explore a new diving site known as the Al-Sultan Abdullah Dive Site, following the submersion of two Light Rail Transit (LRT) coaches in the Monkey Bay area on July 9 and 10.
The coaches were submerged to serve as artificial reefs and create breeding grounds for fish and other marine life. The Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) recognised the feat in the Buildings and Structures category.
This initiative, carried out through MBOR: First LRT Coach Reef in Malaysia and organised by the Al Sultan Abdullah Foundation (YASA), also received the consent of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who officially launched the programme at Berjaya Tioman Resort on July 13.
ATTRACTING MORE TOURISTS
According to Director of MBOR: First LRT Coach Reef in Malaysia, Mohd Fakhrul Islam Juhali, Tioman island was selected for the project given its rich marine environment and its position as a major tourist destination in the state.
"Pulau Tioman is the largest island among the group of nine islands that make up the Tioman Island Marine Park. Among the popular activities on this island are snorkelling and scuba diving because of its coral reefs, as well as hiking trails that lead visitors to stunning waterfalls," he said during the programme's launch.
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Therefore, he hopes the creation of this new diving site will attract more tourists, thereby promoting local economic growth.
"This mission is not merely to set a record in the country but is hoped to become a unique attraction, especially for scuba diving enthusiasts, thereby boosting the nation's tourism sector," he said.
He said that the task of submerging the two coaches was not easy and involved many people, including 60 divers.
Meanwhile, Technical Adviser of the programme, Noriqram Mod Nor, said the project was only carried out after obtaining approval from the authorities, including the Fisheries Department and the Southeast Asia Marine Resources Institute.
The process of submerging the coaches was carefully monitored and managed to ensure all environmental safety guidelines were adhered to, as well as to ensure the components submerged were safe for marine life.
"This task is not easy and requires a high cost. Therefore, we hope all tourists and divers will be responsible for maintaining it and avoid any vandalism.
"As a recreational artificial reef, it must look attractive, so we chose to retain the aesthetic value of the coaches as much as possible, such as the seats, poles, handrails, and emergency phones," said Noriqram, who is also one of the divers.
CHALLENGES
Elaborating on the initiative, Noriqram said the process of transporting the two coaches, each weighing over 20 tons with dimensions of 33.7 metres (m) in length, 2.65 m in width, and 3.44 m in height, was handled by an experienced logistics company using a trailer.
The 395-kilometre journey began from the Kelana Jaya LRT Depot in Selangor to Kuala Rompin, Pahang, taking a day before the coaches were taken to Monkey Bay using a barge.
“After arriving in Kuala Rompin, the two coaches were carefully cleaned to ensure no harmful chemicals, such as grease, remained. Then, the two coaches, along with an 80-ton crane, were placed on the barge to be transported to Monkey Bay. The voyage took six hours,” he explained.
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According to Noriqram, during the barge journey, one of the challenges was passing under a bridge that connects Kuala Rompin and Mersing (Johor).
He said this situation required the expertise of the barge operator to avoid any untoward incidents.
The challenge did not end there, as the team of divers had to ensure calm currents and good weather conditions to lower the coaches to the seabed.
“The two coaches were placed on a platform made of iron pipes filled with cement, and each side was fitted with six two-ton weights to ensure the stability of the artificial reef and prevent it from moving when struck by currents.
“The process of lowering the coaches also had to be done slowly to ensure structural stability,” said Noriqram, who has participated in operations to sink light aircraft frames at Pulau Lang Tengah, Langkawi, Kedah.
According to him, the second day's process was more complex, as divers needed to install equipment to connect the two coaches to ensure they were aligned.
“Despite our best efforts, the two coaches could not be connected because the site area was slightly hilly, so we just tied the two structures with cables.
“...based on past experiences, the connectors will align over time due to current movements,” he said.
MONITORING
To assess the impact of the LRT artificial reef construction on fisheries resources and marine ecology, Azlan Md Nor, Head of the Ecosystem Conservation and Biodiversity Branch of the Fisheries Department said his team would conduct periodic monitoring every six months or once a year, depending on the condition of the structure.
“In addition, the monitoring will also cover coral growth, given the different structural conditions. We will also plant staghorn corals (Acropora sp) on the roof and around the LRT structure within the next year,” he said.
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He added that the LRT artificial reef might be the last foreign reef to be deployed because such materials pose a high risk of contaminating the marine ecosystem.
“We are concerned that if not closely monitored, the area might become a dumping site, subsequently polluting the marine environment,” he said.
Moreover, to ensure a continuous supply of fish and other marine life, the department plans to develop artificial reef complexes nationwide.
SCUBA DIVING ACTIVITIES
General Manager of Tioman Development Authority Datuk Idros Yahya, described the presence of the LRT recreational reef as a significant boost in promoting the island as a prime destination for scuba diving activities.
"We welcome every effort to establish artificial reefs here, as it has a positive impact on the marine ecological system.
"Indirectly, it will attract more tourists, especially scuba diving enthusiasts, while also raising awareness on the importance of marine life preservation and conservation," he said.
He also hopes that the initiative to deploy the LRT reef will educate and cultivate public awareness to always maintain cleanliness and appreciate the beauty of the waters, which have the potential to be developed as an ecotourism product.
Translated by Salbiah Said
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