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Najib Saddened By Deplorable State Of Tasik ChiniEastern Region News
January 19, 2008 21:27 PM
Najib Saddened By Deplorable State Of Tasik Chini
PEKAN, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak attended a function at Tasik Chini near here Saturday and was saddened by the deplorable state of the once-lush lake.
"Tasik Chini is no more the lake that we knew it to be, with an abundance of the water lily. Today, I can hardly see a single plant," he lamented.
He was also sad that the lush greenery was slowly disappearing and the clear water of the lake had given way to brownish, dirty and smelly water.
Saying that these were sure signs that the lake was destined for destruction, he called for efforts to make Tasik Chini an eco-tourism product and centre of biodiversity under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) development.
This will draw tourists to the lake, he said when speaking at the laying of the foundation stone for the Tasik Chini Research Centre managed by the Faculty of Science and Technology of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
"If Tasik Chini is restored to its original state, I am confident it can become an eco-tourism product to draw tourists from all over the world to appreciate its beauty," he said.
Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and UKM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin were present at the function.
"We have no choice. We must adopt measures to save Tasik Chini from destruction and make it our heritage," said Najib, who is also the member of parliament for Pekan.
Najib praised the effort of UKM to set up the research centre, saying the move could be emulated by other institutions of higher learning as well.
The centre will, among other things, encourage research based on the water, soil and various flora and fauna at state, national and international levels.
-- BERNAMA
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