CHUKAI, April 15 (Bernama) -- The Teluk Kalong beach here has been polluted with oil slicks believed to be remnants of oil from ships anchored not far from the beach since Monday.
Fisherman Nazri Said, 52, said he became aware of the pollution after seeing an oil slick two kilometres off the coast when he wanted to go out fishing at 4 am that day.
He said he also found dozens of dead fish and squid floating in the sea near the beach.
"I was shocked when I stepped on the oil residue when approaching my boat to go out to sea to catch fish.
"The stain is believed to be semi-solid lubricating oil or grease that was dumped from ships anchored near this beach," he said when met by reporters here today.
Another fisherman Mohamad Hasnam Khalid, 55, said that the stain, believed to be oil residue, had never occurred on the beach before.
"Coastal fishermen in this area complained when their catch was spoiled after the area was contaminated by the stain," he said.
Meanwhile, Terengganu Department of Environment (DOE) director Hamzah Mohamad in a statement today said that his party received a report on the pollution in the three-kilometre coastal area last Monday.
"Seawater and sand samples were taken at the scene and sent to the Malaysian Department of Chemistry for analysis.
"The Department of Marine Affairs has also contacted the Kemaman Branch of the Malaysian Marine Department to obtain a list of ships anchored around Teluk Kalong beach for further investigation and investigations were also carried out at the Kemaman Port reclamation project site located nearby," he said.
He said the oil spill cleanup work would be carried out soon involving various agencies and coordinated by the Kemaman Municipal Council.
He said he also found dozens of dead fish and squid floating in the sea near the beach.
"I was shocked when I stepped on the oil residue when approaching my boat to go out to sea to catch fish.
"The stain is believed to be semi-solid lubricating oil or grease that was dumped from ships anchored near this beach," he said when met by reporters here today.
Another fisherman Mohamad Hasnam Khalid, 55, said that the stain, believed to be oil residue, had never occurred on the beach before.
"Coastal fishermen in this area complained when their catch was spoiled after the area was contaminated by the stain," he said.
Meanwhile, Terengganu Department of Environment (DOE) director Hamzah Mohamad in a statement today said that his party received a report on the pollution in the three-kilometre coastal area last Monday.
"Seawater and sand samples were taken at the scene and sent to the Malaysian Department of Chemistry for analysis.
"The Department of Marine Affairs has also contacted the Kemaman Branch of the Malaysian Marine Department to obtain a list of ships anchored around Teluk Kalong beach for further investigation and investigations were also carried out at the Kemaman Port reclamation project site located nearby," he said.
He said the oil spill cleanup work would be carried out soon involving various agencies and coordinated by the Kemaman Municipal Council.